plate no. 9958
Summer landscape with oaks
Aleksey Savrasov, 1850
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and color mixing to create realistic landscapes. It will also improve their understanding of light and shadow on foliage and water.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees, horizon line, and water.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and grays, blending the colors softly.
- step 03
Establish the base colors for the distant field, using yellows and browns.
- step 04
Paint the trees, starting with the darker shadows and gradually adding highlights.
- step 05
Develop the foreground with greens and browns, paying attention to the texture of the grass and foliage.
- step 06
Add reflections in the water, using slightly darker and muted versions of the surrounding colors.
- step 07
Refine the details of the trees and foliage, adding small branches and leaves.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · sap green · burnt sienna · ivory black
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and cerulean blue. Create atmospheric perspective by adding white to colors for distant objects.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details in the trees.
- →Creating too much contrast in the distant field.
- →Making the water reflections too bright.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the sky.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·cerulean blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-grain canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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