plate no. 7427

Sunny way

August Macke, 1913

oilExpressionismgenre paintingfigurestreesparklandscapeshadowsfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to create dynamic and vibrant scenes. It also offers practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and using color to define light and shadow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the figures, trees, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color with thin washes, focusing on the overall composition.
step 03
Start building up layers of color, using short, expressive brushstrokes.
step 04
Pay attention to the direction of the brushstrokes to create a sense of movement and texture.
step 05
Mix colors directly on the canvas to achieve the desired vibrancy and variation.
step 06
Refine the details of the figures and trees, but maintain the overall expressive style.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Step back and assess the painting, making any final adjustments to color and composition.

color palette

primary · red · yellow · green · blue

secondary · orange · dark green · black · white

Achieve the vibrant greens by mixing yellow and blue, and the oranges by mixing red and yellow. Use white to lighten colors and black to darken them, but use sparingly to maintain vibrancy.

techniques