plate no. 2545
Surroundings of Vichy, house near the water
Jean-Francois Millet, 1867
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the house, trees, and path, paying attention to perspective.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted brown or grey watercolor to the entire paper to create an aged look.
- step 03
Using a light green wash, paint the foliage and grassy areas, varying the intensity of the green.
- step 04
Mix a slightly darker brown and paint the roof of the house, adding texture with short, broken strokes.
- step 05
Use a thin brush and dark brown ink to outline the main shapes and add details to the trees and house.
- step 06
Add shadows to the trees and house with a darker wash of brown or grey.
- step 07
Use a fine brush to add details to the foliage and grass with short, quick strokes.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights with a clean, damp brush to lift some of the color.
color palette
primary · raw umber · sap green · ivory black
secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray
Mix raw umber with water for the initial washes. Add a touch of black to raw umber for darker shadows. Mix sap green with yellow ochre for variations in foliage color.
techniques
- ·watercolor washes
- ·ink outlining
- ·dry brush
- ·layering
- ·linear perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details too early.
- →Making the washes too dark initially.
- →Not paying attention to the perspective of the house and path.
- →Using too much water and losing control of the washes.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 90lb
required
- ·watercolor paper 90lb
- ·watercolor paints
- ·fine liner brush
- ·round brush #4
- ·raw umber watercolor
- ·sap green watercolor
- ·ivory black watercolor
- ·water container
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·masking fluid
- ·ruler
Use a light hand when applying the watercolor washes. Allow each layer to dry before adding the next.
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