plate no. 2974

The Lake, Annecy

Arthur Beecher Carles, 1912

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapelakemountainstreesvillageskylandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve atmospheric perspective and learn to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and colors.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, lake, and land masses using light pencil lines.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, adding hints of pink and grey.
step 03
Establish the dark values of the mountains with a mix of blue, green, and brown.
step 04
Paint the lake using varying shades of blue, reflecting the sky and surrounding landscape.
step 05
Block in the green areas of the land, varying the shades to create depth.
step 06
Add the suggestion of buildings in the village with small strokes of yellow and white.
step 07
Define the trees and foliage with darker greens and blues, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to create a sense of light and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · viridian green · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · titanium white · cadmium yellow

Achieve the atmospheric blues by mixing cerulean blue with white and a touch of purple. Create the greens by mixing viridian green with yellow ochre and varying amounts of burnt umber for darker shades.

techniques