plate no. 6751

The Romance Makers

Charles M. Russell, 1918

oilRomanticismgenre paintinghorsefigurelandscapemountainsskygrass

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering realistic textures in a landscape. Students will also learn to create a sense of depth and distance through color and value variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the horizon line, mountains, figures, and horses.
step 02
Block in the sky with broad strokes, establishing the gradient from blue to yellow/orange.
step 03
Establish the base colors for the mountains and distant landscape, paying attention to atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Roughly block in the foreground grass and bushes with varying shades of green and brown.
step 05
Begin refining the figures and horses, focusing on their shapes and proportions.
step 06
Add details to the figures' clothing and equipment, using smaller brushes.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows in the landscape and on the figures to create depth.
step 08
Add final details, such as individual blades of grass and subtle color variations in the sky.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · sap green

Mix blues and whites for the sky, adding yellow ochre for the sunset glow. Use burnt umber and yellow ochre for the horses and landscape, adjusting with white for highlights and alizarin crimson for shadows.

techniques