plate no. 1272

Rainbow

oil, woodImpressionismgenre paintingfigureswaterlandscaperainbowtreessky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, layering, and capturing atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering figures in a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main compositional elements: the horizon line, the figures, the shoreline, and the location of the rainbow.
step 02
Establish the basic color blocks for the sky, water, and land using thin washes.
step 03
Begin layering in the darker values, defining the shapes of the figures and the trees.
step 04
Develop the water with short, broken brushstrokes, capturing the reflections and movement.
step 05
Mix and apply the colors of the rainbow, blending them softly into the sky.
step 06
Add details to the figures, such as clothing and hair, using small brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details in the landscape, adding texture to the grass and trees.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white · viridian green

secondary · cadmium red · burnt umber · lemon yellow

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and using white to create tints. The rainbow colors are created by layering and blending the primary and secondary colors.

techniques