plate no. 6671
The Red Maple
A.Y. Jackson, 1914
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as capturing the movement of water with expressive brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex natural forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
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, rocks, and water flow.
- step 02
Establish the dark underpainting for the water and shadows using a mix of dark browns and blues.
- step 03
Block in the general shapes of the rocks and foliage with corresponding earth tones and reds.
- step 04
Begin layering lighter tones on the water to suggest movement and reflections.
- step 05
Add details to the trees and leaves, using varying shades of red and brown.
- step 06
Refine the highlights on the rocks and foliage to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Use short, broken brushstrokes to create texture in the water and foliage.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust values to achieve the desired atmospheric effect.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · cadmium red · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Mix burnt umber and ultramarine blue for the dark water tones. Use cadmium red and yellow ochre to create the various shades of red and orange for the foliage. Add titanium white to lighten colors and create highlights.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing on the palette.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure early on.
- →Ignoring the direction of light and shadow, resulting in a flat image.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·#6 round brush
- ·#4 filbert brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a medium-tooth canvas to allow for good paint adhesion and texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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