plate no. 3847

Spring in the Park

Alina Danilova, 2020

pastel, paperRealismlandscapetreesforestpathlandscapefoliagelight

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors with pastels and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in depicting tree forms and creating a sense of light filtering through a forest.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the path.
step 02
Establish the background color with a light layer of blue-green pastel.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the trees with dark brown and black pastel.
step 04
Add layers of green, yellow, and brown to the path, varying the pressure to create light and shadow.
step 05
Layer greens and yellows onto the trees to suggest foliage, using short, broken strokes.
step 06
Use lighter shades of green and yellow to highlight areas where light is hitting the trees and path.
step 07
Refine the details of the trees, adding branches and texture with a sharp pastel.
step 08
Blend colors softly to create a hazy, atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · green · yellow · brown · black

secondary · blue · red

Mix greens by layering blues and yellows. Achieve different shades of brown by mixing red, yellow, and black. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques