plate no. 8670

Seal Hunter, North Greenland

Rockwell Kent, 1933

oilAmerican Realismlandscapeicebergdogslandscapeskysnowmountains

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle gradients and understanding atmospheric perspective to create depth. Students will also practice simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the iceberg, mountains, and the horizon line.
step 02
Establish the overall color scheme by blocking in large areas of color for the sky, iceberg, and snow.
step 03
Begin refining the colors of the sky, blending from darker blues at the top to lighter greens near the horizon.
step 04
Add shadows and highlights to the iceberg to create form and dimension.
step 05
Paint the snow-covered ground, paying attention to subtle color variations and shadows.
step 06
Add the details of the dogs in the foreground, focusing on their shapes and values.
step 07
Include the small details like footprints in the snow to add interest and scale.
step 08
Refine the edges and details throughout the painting to achieve a polished look.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · viridian green · cadmium red

Mix blues and white for the sky, adding a touch of green near the horizon. Use raw umber and white for the snow, adding small amounts of blue or red to create subtle color variations. Mix raw umber, white, and a touch of red for the dogs.

techniques