plate no. 7716

Sonnenuntergang am italienischen See (Oberitalien)

oilImpressionismlandscapelakemountainsunsetskycloudswater

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create atmospheric effects and simplifying complex landscapes into basic shapes and values. It's also a good exercise in capturing the mood of a scene through color and brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, land, and water, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the blue of the mountain, the yellow of the sky, and the green/yellow of the water.
step 03
Add the darker tones to the mountain to create depth and form.
step 04
Layer in the colors of the sunset, blending the yellows, oranges, and purples.
step 05
Create the reflections in the water using broken brushstrokes and similar colors to the sky.
step 06
Add details to the landmass in the foreground, keeping it simple and dark.
step 07
Refine the edges of the mountain and clouds to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights to the water and sky to capture the light.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · viridian green

Mix various shades of blue for the mountain by combining ultramarine with white and small amounts of yellow ochre. Achieve the sunset colors by blending yellows, oranges, and reds, and use purple (crimson + blue) for the clouds.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the atmospheric haze.
→Failing to simplify the landscape into basic shapes.
→Ignoring the color temperature changes in the sky and water.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 or similar)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, viridian green, titanium white)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (flat and round)
·linseed oil or other painting medium
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags