plate no. 6713

Small Farm by the Eure River

oil, canvasPost-Impressionismlandscaperiverbuildingstreeslandscapeskyvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to create atmospheric perspective. Students will also learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

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 buildings, trees, and river.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and grays, using broken brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the main colors of the buildings (red roofs, light walls) with broad strokes.
step 04
Paint the trees and foliage, focusing on color variations and textures.
step 05
Add the reflections in the river, using horizontal strokes and similar colors to the objects above.
step 06
Refine the details of the buildings and trees, adding highlights and shadows.
step 07
Adjust the overall color harmony and value relationships.
step 08
Add final touches and details to the foreground vegetation.

color palette

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

secondary · viridian green · cadmium red

Mix various shades of gray for the sky by combining ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, and white. Achieve the green tones by mixing yellow ochre and viridian green. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·broken brushstrokes
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·color layering
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Creating muddy colors by over-blending.
→Ignoring the value relationships and creating a flat image.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, titanium white, viridian green, cadmium red)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags