plate no. 1577

Sady Pod Tarclynem Warszawy

Włodzimierz Zakrzewski, 1970

oilRealismlandscapelandscapetreesfieldskywinterhorizon

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as capturing the subtle nuances of light and shadow in a winter landscape. It also provides practice in depicting bare tree branches with expressive brushstrokes.

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 and the placement of the major tree groups.
step 02
Establish the sky with broad, blended strokes of gray and white.
step 03
Block in the distant landscape with muted browns and yellows.
step 04
Apply a base layer of color to the foreground field, using a mix of yellows, browns, and grays.
step 05
Begin adding details to the trees, using thin, dark lines for branches and thicker strokes for trunks.
step 06
Layer highlights and shadows onto the field to create a sense of depth and texture.
step 07
Add final details to the trees and foreground, refining the shapes and adding small touches of color.
step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition, ensuring that the values and colors are balanced.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · payne's gray · burnt sienna

Mix grays by combining white with small amounts of raw umber and payne's gray. Achieve the field colors by blending yellow ochre with raw umber and white, adjusting the ratios to create variations in tone.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the trees, resulting in a stiff and unnatural appearance.
→Creating a flat, uniform field by neglecting to vary the colors and values.
→Failing to establish a clear light source, leading to inconsistent shadows.
→Using colors that are too saturated, which can detract from the muted, wintery atmosphere.