plate no. 9078
Ski Jacket
Peter Doig, 1994
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating texture with brushstrokes, and depicting atmospheric perspective. It also encourages experimentation with abstracting forms and suggesting detail rather than rendering it realistically.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Divide the canvas into two panels, mirroring the original diptych.
- step 02
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, trees, and buildings, focusing on composition.
- step 03
Apply a thin, diluted wash of warm colors (yellow ochre, burnt sienna) to the left panel and cooler colors (light blue, grey) to the right panel as an underpainting.
- step 04
Begin layering thicker paint, using short, broken brushstrokes to build up the textures of the trees and mountains.
- step 05
Use a variety of blues, greens, and whites for the trees, and whites, greys, and browns for the mountains.
- step 06
Add small dabs of color to represent the figures, keeping them abstract and indistinct.
- step 07
Pay attention to the overall atmospheric effect, blurring edges and softening details in the distance.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details, such as the snow on the mountains and the reflections in the water.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna
secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · cadmium red light
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and using white to create tints. Experiment with layering transparent and opaque colors to create depth.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the abstract quality.
- →Creating overly saturated colors.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Making the figures too defined.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·assorted brushes (small round, flat)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil or acrylic medium
- ·mineral spirits or water
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·varnish
- ·easel
Use a variety of brush sizes and shapes to create different textures. Consider using a palette knife for applying thicker paint and creating impasto effects.
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