plate no. 1901
Summer Design
Charles Reiffel, 1917
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding how to use visible brushstrokes to convey form and light.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the trees, house, and foreground elements.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white.
- step 03
Establish the darkest values in the trees and shadows.
- step 04
Begin layering greens, yellows, and browns for the foliage, using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 05
Add the details of the house, keeping it simple and slightly blurred.
- step 06
Develop the foreground with a variety of colors and textures, focusing on the path and rocks.
- step 07
Add highlights to the foliage and foreground to create a sense of light.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed.
color palette
primary · sap green · lemon yellow · ultramarine blue · titanium white
secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red · yellow ochre
Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, and use white to lighten the values. Achieve earthy tones by mixing browns and greens.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·impasto
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Using too much detail in the background, which can flatten the image.
- →Not creating enough contrast between light and shadow.
- →Mixing muddy colors by over-blending.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·linseed oil
- ·mineral spirits
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·rags
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes.
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