plate no. 3712
The Red Mill
Piet Mondrian, 1911
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for learning about simplifying complex forms into basic shapes and using a limited color palette to create a strong visual impact. Students will practice color mixing and applying paint in a slightly textured manner.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 7 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the windmill and the horizon line.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a base layer of blue, varying the tone slightly.
- step 03
Paint the windmill structure with a base layer of red, leaving some areas lighter or darker.
- step 04
Add the details of the windmill blades and the small window using darker shades of red and blue.
- step 05
Refine the edges of the windmill and the sky, blending some areas and leaving others sharp.
- step 06
Add texture to the windmill and the ground using short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Adjust the values and colors as needed to create depth and contrast.
color palette
primary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue
secondary · black · white
Mix different shades of red by adding small amounts of black or white. Create variations in the blue sky by adding white or a touch of red.
techniques
- ·color blocking
- ·dry brushing
- ·blending
- ·value control
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Making the windmill too symmetrical and uniform.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.
- →Losing the simplified shapes and adding too much detail.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·black oil paint
- ·white oil paint
- ·round brush size 6
- ·flat brush size 8
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-grain canvas to allow for some texture. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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