plate no. 0740
Quiet lake
Arkady Rylov, 1908
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting atmospheric perspective and rendering reflections in water. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of tree bark and foliage with visible brushstrokes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees, lake, and boat.
- step 02
Establish the main color blocks for the sky, trees, water, and foreground.
- step 03
Begin layering the colors in the trees, using darker values for the shadows and lighter values for the highlights.
- step 04
Create the reflections in the water, paying attention to the distortion and color variations.
- step 05
Add details to the boat and figure, using smaller brushes.
- step 06
Refine the foreground details, including the small plants and tree roots.
- step 07
Adjust the overall values and colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · viridian green · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson
Mix greens by combining viridian green and yellow ochre. Create darker browns by mixing burnt umber with ultramarine blue. Achieve the subtle variations in the water reflections by mixing small amounts of the surrounding colors.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·wet-on-dry layering
- ·alla prima
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the trees, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Failing to accurately capture the distortion of the reflections in the water.
- →Using too much detail in the background, which can flatten the depth.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
- ·#10 filbert brush
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·mineral spirits
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-tooth canvas to allow for good paint adhesion and texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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