plate no. 9154

Swollen Brook (No. 2)

Willard Metcalf, 1923

oilImpressionismlandscaperiverlandscapemountainstreesgrasssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, layering, and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in capturing the movement of water and the texture of foliage using impressionistic brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the river, mountains, and trees.
step 02
Establish the sky with light blue and white, blending softly.
step 03
Block in the distant mountains with muted purples and greens, paying attention to value changes to suggest depth.
step 04
Paint the mid-ground hills with ochre and green, adding texture with short brushstrokes.
step 05
Define the riverbed with browns and greens, then add the water using blues, whites, and grays, capturing the flow and reflections.
step 06
Paint the foreground grass with varying shades of green, adding texture with broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Add details to the trees and bushes, using darker tones to create contrast and definition.
step 08
Refine the overall painting, adjusting colors and values as needed to achieve a harmonious and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white · sap green

secondary · burnt umber · alizarin crimson · violet

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue or sap green. Create muted purples for the mountains by mixing alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue. Use white to lighten values and create atmospheric perspective.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
→Neglecting value changes, leading to a flat and dimensionless painting.
→Ignoring atmospheric perspective, making the distant mountains appear too sharp and defined.
→Using overly bright colors, which can detract from the overall harmony of the painting.