plate no. 1487
The Pines
Horace Trenerry, 1940
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing with a limited palette and creating depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in capturing textures with visible brushstrokes.
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, road, and fence.
- step 02
Establish the sky with broad horizontal strokes of varying blues and whites.
- step 03
Block in the main shapes of the trees using a darker blue, adding hints of green.
- step 04
Paint the road with lighter blues and whites, creating a sense of receding perspective.
- step 05
Add the fence using vertical strokes of brown and yellow, varying the height and spacing.
- step 06
Develop the foreground with textured brushstrokes of blues and greens.
- step 07
Refine the details of the trees, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Adjust the overall color balance and value contrast to create a cohesive and atmospheric effect.
color palette
primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre
secondary · viridian green · burnt umber
Mix various shades of blue by adding white or yellow ochre. Create greens by mixing blue and yellow. Use burnt umber for the fence and to darken shadows.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·color mixing
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Neglecting the importance of value contrast.
- →Making the brushstrokes too uniform.
- →Losing the sense of depth and perspective.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·viridian green oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·round brushes size 4 and 8
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-grain canvas for better texture. Consider using a quick-drying medium to speed up the drying time.
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