plate no. 2266
Separated
Istvan Farkas, 1941
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand how to create a mood using a limited color palette and how to suggest form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying figures and landscapes to their essential shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a warm orange-red base, blending slightly to create subtle variations.
- step 03
Establish the ground plane with a mix of browns and oranges, varying the tones to suggest depth.
- step 04
Paint the figures using simplified shapes and a limited palette of greens, browns, and blacks.
- step 05
Add details to the figures' clothing, such as the coat and hat, using visible brushstrokes to create texture.
- step 06
Paint the distant building with a light color, keeping it simple and slightly blurred.
- step 07
Refine the details of the figures' faces, using subtle highlights and shadows to suggest form.
- step 08
Add final touches, such as small details in the sky and ground, to enhance the overall mood.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · sap green · ivory black
secondary · yellow ochre · titanium white
Mix burnt sienna and raw umber for the ground and shadows. Combine sap green and raw umber with a touch of black for the coat. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·limited palette
- ·simplified forms
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplified, expressive quality.
- →Using too many colors and creating a muddy or chaotic effect.
- →Failing to establish a clear value structure, resulting in a flat or uninteresting composition.
- →Not capturing the mood of the painting.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (sizes #2, #6, #8)
- ·flat brush (size #4)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·odorless mineral spirits (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the brushstrokes. If using acrylics, consider using a retarder to slow drying time.
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