plate no. 1985
Raigardas (II)
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective through color and value changes, and practice simplifying complex landscapes into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the horizon line and major land divisions.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a light yellow-ochre.
- step 03
Establish the basic green tones for the fields and distant hills, using darker greens for closer areas.
- step 04
Paint the dark band of trees along the horizon.
- step 05
Add the white line of the road or river, using a thin brush.
- step 06
Paint the tree groupings in the foreground, focusing on their simple shapes and dark shadows.
- step 07
Add details to the fields, such as the rows of crops.
- step 08
Refine the colors and values to create depth and atmosphere.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · sap green · raw umber
secondary · titanium white · ultramarine blue
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and sap green. Add raw umber to darken the greens and create shadows. Use white to lighten the sky and create highlights.
techniques
- ·color mixing
- ·blocking in shapes
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·simplified forms
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overcomplicating the details.
- →Using too much detail in the distance.
- →Not creating enough value contrast between foreground and background.
- →Making the colors too saturated.
materials
surface · canvas panel
required
- ·tempera paints
- ·canvas panel
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·palette
- ·water container
- ·paper towels
- ·pencil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·easel
- ·retarder medium
Tempera paint dries quickly, so work in small sections. You can use a retarder medium to slow the drying time.
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