plate no. 9256

Study for View of the Valley of the White Mountains, New Hampashire

oilRomanticismlandscapelakemountainstreeslandscapebuildingssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in layering colors to create depth and texture in foliage.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and major landforms.
step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of yellow ochre and white, blending smoothly.
step 03
Block in the distant mountains with muted blues and purples, using lighter values for further mountains.
step 04
Paint the darker trees and foliage in the midground, layering greens, browns, and blacks.
step 05
Add the water, reflecting the colors of the sky and trees above, using horizontal strokes.
step 06
Define the foreground rocks and shoreline with darker values and textured brushstrokes.
step 07
Paint the buildings and figures with small brushes, paying attention to their placement and scale.
step 08
Add final details, such as highlights on the water and foliage, and refine the overall composition.

color palette

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

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Achieve muted greens by mixing yellow ochre with ultramarine blue and a touch of burnt umber. Create atmospheric perspective by adding white to the blues and purples for distant mountains.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·atmospheric perspective
·layering
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the loose, painterly feel.
→Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the muted tones of the landscape.
→Neglecting the reflections in the water and making them too literal.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 12x16
·Oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, titanium white, sap green)
·Round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
·Flat brush (#8)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil