plate no. 9122

Sunset at Ichinokura

Hasui Kawase, 1928

oilShin-hangalandscapetreessunsetlandscapefieldskyfigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create depth using value and color. It also provides practice in rendering detailed silhouettes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, tree line, and field divisions.
step 02
Establish the sky gradient with light blues and oranges, blending smoothly.
step 03
Paint the distant hills with muted blues and grays to create atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Block in the dark silhouette of the trees, paying attention to the shapes and spacing.
step 05
Add details to the trees, suggesting branches and foliage with varying line weights.
step 06
Paint the field with dark greens and browns, indicating rows and texture.
step 07
Add the small figure in the field with a light color for contrast.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust values to create depth and visual interest.

color palette

primary · Prussian blue · Cadmium orange · Black

secondary · Titanium white · Burnt umber

Mix muted blues and grays by combining Prussian blue, burnt umber, and white. Achieve the sunset colors by blending cadmium orange with white and small amounts of red.

techniques

·Layering
·Blending
·Silhouetting
·Atmospheric perspective
·Linear perspective

common pitfalls

→Making the sky colors too saturated.
→Losing the sense of depth in the field.
→Creating a flat, uninteresting silhouette for the trees.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall simplicity.

materials

surface · Stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas
·Acrylic paints (Prussian blue, Cadmium orange, Black, Titanium white, Burnt umber)
·Round brushes (small and medium)
·Flat brush (medium)
·Palette
·Water container
·Paper towels
·Soft cloth