plate no. 9549

Road to Asgaard Adirondack

Rockwell Kent, 1960

oilAmerican Realismlandscapemountainssnowtreesfarmbuildingssky

some experience helpful

This painting offers a good opportunity to practice color mixing for snow shadows and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. Students can also develop skills in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line, mountains, and the placement of the farm buildings.
step 02
Block in the sky with a gradient from darker blue at the top to lighter blue near the horizon.
step 03
Establish the mountain shapes and values, using lighter tones for snow-covered areas and darker tones for shadows and rock formations.
step 04
Paint the line of trees, simplifying the shapes and using variations of green.
step 05
Block in the large areas of snow, paying attention to the subtle color variations and shadows.
step 06
Add the farm buildings, using simple shapes and values to create a sense of depth.
step 07
Define the road and snow drifts with shadows, using cool blues and purples.
step 08
Add details like the windows on the buildings and the texture of the snow.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · cadmium red

Mix blues and whites with small amounts of umber to create the cool tones of the snow shadows. Use yellow ochre and a touch of red to create the warm tones of the buildings.

techniques