plate no. 8175

Small Purple Hills

Georgia O'Keeffe

oilPrecisionismlandscapemountainlandscapeskyhillsearth

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic outline of the mountain and the horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light blue.
step 03
Apply a base layer of the main reddish-brown color to the entire mountain.
step 04
Mix darker shades of red-brown and begin defining the shadows and crevices of the mountain.
step 05
Mix lighter shades of red-brown and highlight the areas where light hits the mountain.
step 06
Blend the edges of the shadows and highlights to create smooth transitions.
step 07
Add the darker green-brown color at the peak of the mountain.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.

color palette

primary · red-brown · light blue · dark brown

secondary · green-brown · tan

Mix red-brown by combining burnt sienna, a touch of ultramarine blue, and white. Create darker shades by adding burnt umber or black. Lighten with white or yellow ochre.

techniques

·blending
·color mixing
·value studies
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the blending, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Not paying attention to the subtle value changes.
→Making the shadows too harsh.
→Incorrectly proportioning the mountain.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·Acrylic or oil paints (burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, yellow ochre)
·Round brushes (various sizes)
·Flat brushes (various sizes)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits or water (depending on paint type)
·Linseed oil (if using oil paints)