plate no. 6804
The Cowboy
Frederic Remington, 1902
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting dynamic movement and using a limited palette to create a sense of light and atmosphere. It also provides practice in capturing the anatomy of a horse in motion.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the horse and rider.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and the background mountains.
- step 03
Establish the main values and shadows on the horse and rider, using a limited palette.
- step 04
Develop the details of the horse's anatomy, paying attention to the musculature and bone structure.
- step 05
Add the details of the rider's clothing and equipment, using small brushstrokes.
- step 06
Refine the background landscape, adding details such as rocks and vegetation.
- step 07
Add highlights to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · titanium white
secondary · raw umber · cadmium yellow light
Mix burnt sienna and ultramarine blue to create the dark browns and blacks for the horse and rider. Use yellow ochre and white for the highlights on the landscape.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
- ·implied lines
common pitfalls
- →Getting the proportions of the horse wrong.
- →Overworking the details.
- →Using too many colors.
- →Failing to capture the sense of movement.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-grain canvas to allow for both smooth blending and textured brushwork.
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