plate no. 4224
Søndermarken Park in winter
Vilhelm Hammershøi, 1896
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating atmospheric perspective and rendering subtle variations in tone and texture. It also provides practice in depicting bare tree branches and snow-covered ground.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Prepare a toned canvas with a neutral gray or light brown.
- step 02
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the horizon line.
- step 03
Block in the sky with a muted gray, blending it smoothly.
- step 04
Establish the snow-covered ground with a light, warm gray, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
- step 05
Paint the tree trunks and branches using a dark brown, varying the thickness of the lines to create depth.
- step 06
Add subtle shadows and highlights to the snow and trees to create form.
- step 07
Refine the details of the branches and the texture of the snow.
- step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall values to achieve the desired atmospheric effect.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black
secondary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre
Achieve the muted tones by mixing white with small amounts of umber, black, and sienna. Use yellow ochre to warm up the snow color slightly.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·tonal painting
- ·glazing
common pitfalls
- →Making the colors too saturated or bright.
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth and distance.
- →Making the tree branches too uniform.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
A smooth canvas surface will work best for this painting. Consider using a pre-toned canvas to save time.
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