plate no. 4098

Summer

oilImpressionismlandscapetreeswaterfoliagelandscapewillowautumn

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating texture with visible brushstrokes, and capturing the reflections and movement of water.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees, water line, and major foliage masses.
step 02
Block in the main color areas with thin washes, establishing the overall value structure.
step 03
Begin layering thicker paint, focusing on the tree trunks and branches, using short, directional brushstrokes.
step 04
Add the foliage, using a variety of greens, yellows, oranges, and browns, applied with broken brushstrokes to create texture.
step 05
Paint the water, using horizontal strokes to suggest the surface and vertical strokes for reflections.
step 06
Add details to the foreground foliage, using small brushes to create individual leaves and stems.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows throughout the painting to enhance the sense of depth and form.
step 08
Add final touches and details, such as small reflections in the water and highlights on the leaves.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium yellow · cadmium red · sap green · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by blending yellow ochre, sap green and ultramarine blue. Achieve the water's shimmering effect by mixing blues and whites with small amounts of yellow and brown.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·wet-on-dry layering
·directional brushstrokes

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Using too much detail in the background, which can flatten the composition.
→Failing to create a sense of depth by not varying the color and value of the foliage.
→Making the water appear flat by not capturing the reflections and movement.