plate no. 5312

SUMMER LANDSCAPE

oilPrecisionismlandscapelandscapefieldtreesskycloudsfoliage

suitable for beginners

This painting is great for learning about color mixing to create subtle value changes in the grass and sky. It also provides practice in simplifying complex shapes like trees into more geometric forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the placement of the trees.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, adding white for the clouds.
step 03
Establish the base color for the field, a mix of green and yellow.
step 04
Add darker greens and shadows to the field to create depth and dimension.
step 05
Paint the distant trees with muted greens and blues to suggest distance.
step 06
Paint the larger trees in the foreground, focusing on the shapes of the foliage.
step 07
Add the bare branches of the tree with thin lines of brown and black.
step 08
Refine details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · phthalo green · titanium white · cerulean blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt umber

Mix different shades of green by combining phthalo green with yellow ochre and white. Use burnt umber to darken the greens for shadows. Create the sky by mixing cerulean blue with white, and add a touch of yellow ochre for warmth.

techniques