plate no. 8220

Slayton House

Jamie Wyeth, 1968

watercolor, paperContemporary Realismlandscapehousebuildinggrassskywindowsstone wall

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering watercolor washes to create depth and texture, as well as accurately rendering architectural details with perspective.

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 house, chimney, and stone wall, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted Payne's Gray or similar neutral gray to the sky area.
step 03
Begin layering washes of Burnt Umber and Payne's Gray to build up the dark tones of the house, allowing some areas to remain lighter to suggest sunlight.
step 04
Paint the windows with a mix of blues and grays to create the illusion of reflection and depth.
step 05
Add details to the stone wall using a dry brush technique with ochre and raw sienna.
step 06
Paint the grass with varying shades of green, using short, broken strokes to create texture.
step 07
Add final details such as the chimney, roof, and any small highlights.
step 08
Evaluate and adjust values and details as needed.

color palette

primary · Burnt Umber · Payne's Gray · Yellow Ochre

secondary · Raw Sienna · Cerulean Blue · Titanium White (for highlights)

Mix Burnt Umber and Payne's Gray to create the dark tones of the house. Use varying amounts of water to control the value. Mix Yellow Ochre and Raw Sienna for the stone wall.

techniques

·Layering washes
·Dry brush technique
·Creating texture with broken strokes
·Rendering perspective
·Value control

common pitfalls

→Overworking the washes and losing transparency
→Making the house too uniform in color
→Ignoring the subtle variations in the grass and stone wall
→Not paying attention to perspective, especially in the windows

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·Watercolor paints
·Watercolor paper 140lb
·Round brushes (various sizes)
·Flat brush
·Palette
·Water container
·Pencil
·Eraser

optional

·Masking fluid
·Palette knife
·Ruler

Use high-quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling and allow for multiple washes. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve various textures and details.

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