plate no. 6713
The Bridge at Grez sur Loing
Camille Corot, 1860
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and creating depth through layering and subtle value changes. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of foliage with loose brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the bridge, trees, and church.
- step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of muted blues and grays.
- step 03
Block in the large shapes of the trees and bridge with dark, earthy tones.
- step 04
Add the water, reflecting the colors of the sky and surrounding landscape.
- step 05
Begin layering details on the trees, using varied greens and browns.
- step 06
Refine the bridge, adding highlights and shadows to define its form.
- step 07
Add details to the church and surrounding buildings.
- step 08
Finish with foreground details like grasses and reflections in the water.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · Prussian blue
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · sap green
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use raw umber and Prussian blue to create a range of grays and greens.
techniques
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·broken color
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Failing to create a sense of depth in the landscape.
- →Making the brushstrokes too uniform.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·Prussian blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 6, 8)
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·turpentine
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
Use a canvas with a medium texture to allow for broken color effects. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of raw umber before starting.
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