plate no. 8971
Rams blacks, the year
Georges Lacombe, 1892
suitable for beginners
Recreating this painting will help students practice layering colors to create depth and learn to simplify complex landscapes into basic shapes. It also provides an opportunity to study atmospheric perspective and color harmony.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the hills and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and grey tones.
- step 03
Apply a base layer of brown and green to the hills, varying the tones slightly.
- step 04
Add darker shadows to the lower parts of the hills to create depth.
- step 05
Paint the windmill and buildings on the horizon line.
- step 06
Add highlights to the tops of the hills using lighter shades of green and yellow.
- step 07
Paint the sheep in the foreground using black and grey.
- step 08
Add small details like grass and flowers.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · sap green
secondary · titanium white · payne's gray
Mix yellow ochre and burnt umber for the base of the hills. Add white to lighten the greens and browns for highlights. Use Payne's gray and white for the sky and shadows.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·blending
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·simplification
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the original.
- →Not creating enough contrast between the foreground and background.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Making the sheep too detailed and distracting from the overall landscape.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic paints
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·water container
- ·paper towels
optional
- ·medium retarder
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches) for this project. Acrylics are recommended for their fast drying time, but oils can also be used.
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