plate no. 4254
The Lake
Tarsila do Amaral, 1928
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for learning about simplified shapes and color blocking. Students can practice creating a sense of depth using color temperature and value.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
1
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition lightly onto the canvas.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the sky, hills, and water.
- step 03
Add the darker greens for the foliage in the foreground and background.
- step 04
Paint the tree trunks and large leaves, defining their shapes.
- step 05
Add the pink flower clusters and the orange detail on the central plant.
- step 06
Refine the shapes and edges of the elements, adding subtle variations in color.
- step 07
Add the details of the foreground flowers.
- step 08
Review and adjust the overall balance and color harmony.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · viridian green · titanium white
secondary · cadmium orange · rose madder · ultramarine blue
Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, and lighten colors with white. Achieve the sky color by mixing cerulean blue with white, gradually adding more white towards the horizon.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·flat washes
- ·blending
- ·layering
- ·simplified forms
common pitfalls
- →Overcomplicating the shapes.
- →Using too many colors and muddying the palette.
- →Not paying attention to the relative values of the colors.
- →Making the brushstrokes too visible.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·cerulean blue acrylic paint
- ·viridian green acrylic paint
- ·titanium white acrylic paint
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·acrylic medium
- ·easel
Use acrylic paints for faster drying time, or oil paints for richer colors and blending.
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