plate no. 6839

Saint Hripsime Church. Etchmiadzin

Yeghishe Tadevosyan, 1913

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapebuildingchurchlandscapeskyarchitecturehill

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve warm, earthy tones and practice loose, expressive brushwork to capture the texture of the building and landscape. It also provides practice in simplifying complex architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the church and landscape, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light blue, leaving some areas for variation.
step 03
Establish the main color blocks for the church using a mix of warm yellows, oranges, and browns.
step 04
Add shadows to the church to define its form, using darker shades of the same colors.
step 05
Paint the landscape in the foreground with a mix of browns, greens, and yellows, using broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Add details to the church, such as windows and architectural features, using small, precise brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, adjusting as needed to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final touches, such as highlights on the church and small details in the landscape.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

secondary · titanium white · raw umber · sap green

Mix yellow ochre and burnt sienna in varying ratios to achieve the warm tones of the building. Add ultramarine blue to create cooler shadows. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·broken color
·dry brushing
·color mixing
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, resulting in a flat and uninteresting palette.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure, leading to a lack of depth and dimension.
→Making the building too symmetrical and rigid, losing the organic feel.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white, raw umber, sap green)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil or other painting medium
·mineral spirits or turpentine
·rags