plate no. 3397
Road in a Winter Garden
Nikolay Bogdanov-Belsky, 1930
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting helps students understand color temperature in shadows and how to depict depth using atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of snow with visible brushstrokes.
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 composition, focusing on the path and tree placement.
- step 02
Establish the sky color with a thin wash of blue.
- step 03
Block in the snow-covered ground with a light blue-white mixture, varying the tones.
- step 04
Paint the shadows on the snow using a darker, cooler blue mixture.
- step 05
Add the trees, varying their thickness and height, using browns and grays.
- step 06
Introduce details like branches and small bushes.
- step 07
Refine the path, adding tracks and subtle color variations.
- step 08
Add highlights to the trees and snow to enhance the sense of light.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · payne's gray
Mix white with small amounts of blue to create various shades of cool snow. Use burnt umber and yellow ochre for the tree trunks, adding white or blue to adjust the tone. Payne's gray can be used to darken shadows.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·color temperature
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Making the shadows too dark or uniform.
- →Over-blending the colors, losing the texture of the snow.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the snow and trees.
- →Failing to establish a clear light source.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-textured canvas to help create the impression of snow. A limited palette will encourage mixing and color harmony.
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