plate no. 1035

Snow Play

Richard Friese, 1910

oil, canvasNaturalismanimal paintingpolar bearssnowiceskylandscapeanimals

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in white and blue, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective to create depth in the snowy landscape. It also provides practice in rendering animal forms and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, the positions of the polar bears, and the distant landmass.
step 02
Establish the sky with soft, blended blues and grays, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
step 03
Lay in the base color for the snow, using a light blue-gray mixture. Vary the color slightly to create subtle shadows and highlights.
step 04
Begin to define the shapes of the ice formations and snowdrifts, adding darker blues and grays to indicate depth and form.
step 05
Paint the polar bears, starting with a light underpainting and gradually building up the form with layers of white, cream, and subtle shadows.
step 06
Add details to the polar bears, such as their eyes, noses, and fur texture.
step 07
Paint the distant landmass, using muted browns and grays to create a sense of distance.
step 08
Add the footprints in the snow, using a slightly darker blue-gray mixture to create contrast.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · raw umber

secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black

Mix white with small amounts of blue and umber to create the various shades of snow and ice. Use burnt sienna and raw umber to create the brown tones of the distant landmass. Add a touch of black to darken shadows.

techniques

·glazing
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the snow and losing the subtle variations in color.
→Making the polar bears too stark white, without considering the subtle shadows and highlights.
→Failing to create a sense of depth in the snowy landscape.
→Not paying attention to the anatomy of the polar bears.