plate no. 7366
The Boundary Fence, Forest of Fontainebleau
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create depth using color and value. It will also develop skills in painting foliage and rendering organic shapes with loose brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the deer.
- step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or raw sienna.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color: the sky, the foliage, the ground, and the tree trunks.
- step 04
Begin layering the foliage, using darker greens in the foreground and lighter, cooler greens in the background to create depth.
- step 05
Add details to the tree trunks and branches, paying attention to the direction of light.
- step 06
Paint the deer, using a limited palette of browns and grays.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create form and dimension.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust the overall color balance.
color palette
primary · sap green · raw umber · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna
Mix greens by combining sap green with yellow ochre or ultramarine blue. Use burnt sienna and raw umber for the deer and tree trunks. Add white to lighten values and create atmospheric perspective.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·wet-on-dry layering
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly quality.
- →Failing to create enough depth and atmospheric perspective.
- →Using too much green without variation.
- →Making the deer too detailed and distracting from the overall scene.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·oil paints (sap green, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette knife
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grit canvas for better texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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