plate no. 0328

Saint Michel's Church

Maxime Maufra, 1916

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscapechurchlandscapecloudshillsbuildingsvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create texture and capturing atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice 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
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the church, hills, and clouds.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of blue and gray, focusing on the cloud shapes.
step 03
Establish the basic color masses for the hills and foreground, using a mix of greens, browns, and yellows.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the church, using darker tones for shadows and lighter tones for highlights.
step 05
Add texture to the foreground using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the details of the church tower and roof, paying attention to the angles and proportions.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the clouds and foreground.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow. Achieve earth tones by mixing burnt umber with yellow ochre and white. Use white to lighten values and create highlights.

techniques