plate no. 0669

River Avon

Algernon Talmage

oilImpressionismlandscaperiverskycloudslandscapetreeshorizon

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, dividing the canvas into sky, land, and water.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the main shapes of the landmasses.
step 03
Lay in the base colors for the sky, blending the warm and cool tones.
step 04
Add darker tones to define the cloud shapes, using loose brushstrokes.
step 05
Paint the distant landmasses with muted colors, creating atmospheric perspective.
step 06
Block in the colors of the river, reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape.
step 07
Add details to the foreground, such as grasses and reflections in the water.
step 08
Refine the values and colors throughout the painting, paying attention to the overall harmony.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · alizarin crimson · raw umber

Mix blues and browns for the sky, adding white to lighten. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the land, and mix blues with browns and white for the river reflections. Add alizarin crimson to create purplish hues in the clouds.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the clouds, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Creating too much contrast in the distant landscape, losing the atmospheric effect.
→Making the river too uniform in color, neglecting the reflections.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the sky and land.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, titanium white, alizarin crimson, raw umber)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits