plate no. 7235

The Red Turret

Ernest Lawson, 1920

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapelandscapebuildingstreeshillsskyfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and color blocks.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, hill, and trees, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light blue and white, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the basic color masses for the hill, buildings, and trees using simplified color mixtures.
step 04
Begin applying thicker paint with visible brushstrokes, layering colors to create texture and depth in the foliage and ground.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and roof lines, using small, precise brushstrokes.
step 06
Develop the tree branches and leaves, varying the colors and values to suggest light and shadow.
step 07
Refine the foreground with additional layers of textured brushstrokes, adding small details like grasses and wildflowers.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · titanium white · viridian green · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red · raw umber

Achieve the muted greens by mixing viridian green with yellow ochre and a touch of burnt sienna. Use white to lighten colors and create variations in value. Mix small amounts of red and blue to create the darker tones in the trees and shadows.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, resulting in a flat and unnatural look.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Ignoring the importance of value contrast in creating depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, viridian green, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, cadmium red, raw umber)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat, sizes 2-8)
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags