plate no. 4716
Rakaposhi Mountain
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and creating depth through value changes. It also provides practice in loose, expressive brushwork to capture the textures of mountains and clouds.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountain and surrounding landscape, paying attention to the overall composition.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white, creating soft cloud shapes.
- step 03
Establish the darkest values in the foreground rocks and shadows on the mountain.
- step 04
Begin building up the mountain with layers of white, light blue, and gray, defining the snow-covered areas.
- step 05
Add mid-tones to the rocks and mountainsides, using browns, grays, and purples.
- step 06
Refine the details of the mountain, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
- step 07
Blend the edges of the clouds and mountains to create a sense of atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to the rocks and snow.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
secondary · raw sienna · payne's gray · purple
Mix various shades of gray by combining white, blue, and umber. Use more blue for cooler grays and more umber for warmer grays. Create the mountain's snow by mixing white with small amounts of blue and gray.
techniques
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·dry brush texture
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·value studies
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive feel.
- →Not establishing a strong value contrast, resulting in a flat image.
- →Using pure white for the snow without considering the subtle color variations.
- →Making the foreground too detailed and distracting from the mountain.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·payne's gray oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a medium-grit canvas for better texture. Consider using a toned canvas to establish a base color.
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