plate no. 8726
The Sun Had Closed the Winter Day
recreation guide
Joseph Farquharson’s 'The Sun Had Closed the Winter Day' is a landscape painting executed in oil, adhering to the Realist tradition. As a landscape work, it likely depicts natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, or forests, with the sky and weather conditions serving as integral elements of the composition (Source 4). Farquharson’s practice, consistent with 19th-century landscape traditions, emphasizes the depiction of atmospheric conditions and the surface of the Earth, potentially focusing on the specific lighting effects of a winter day closing (Source 5). The artwork relies on the expressive capacity of oil paint, utilizing layering techniques to achieve depth and texture, characteristic of the medium’s ability to hold brushstrokes and adjust translucency (Source 1).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions, allowing for drying time between layers
materials
8 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (artist grade) | Primary medium for color application | — |
| Linseed oil | Medium to thin paint and increase oil content for 'fat over lean' layering | — |
| Mineral spirits or turpentine | Solvent to thin paint for underdrawing/underpainting and clean brushes | — |
| Canvas | Support surface | — |
| Charcoal or thinned paint | Initial sketching of the subject | — |
| Paintbrushes | Primary tool for transferring paint | — |
| Palette knives | Alternative application tool or for scraping off wet paint if corrections are needed | — |
| Rags | Cleaning brushes or removing wet paint layers | — |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be prepared according to traditional oil painting standards. While specific priming details for this exact work are not provided, standard practice involves ensuring a stable ground to support the oil layers. The artist likely used a standard canvas preparation suitable for oil absorption and layering.
underdrawing
Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint (Source 1). For this landscape, the artist would likely sketch the major forms of the terrain, sky, and any atmospheric elements using charcoal or a thin wash of paint to establish the composition before applying opaque layers.
underpainting
The artist may have employed a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values before adding color. Source 3 describes a method where a grisaille is created by mentally extracting red and yellow colors, leaving the underlying structure in neutral tones. Once dry, this layer serves as a foundation for glazing and scumbling with oil colors (Source 3). This technique allows for precise control over light and shadow before introducing hue.
color palette
Neutral Grays/Browns
Black, white, and earth tones
Underpainting (grisaille) to establish value structure without color interference (Source 3)
Winter Sky Tones
Ultramarine, white, and potentially lead white or zinc white
Depicting the sky and atmospheric conditions, consistent with landscape painting conventions (Source 4)
Winter Landscape Tones
Earth tones, whites, and cool grays
Depicting the ground, snow, or bare trees, reflecting the 'winter day' subject matter
Warm Accents
Yellow and red ochres
Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and light effects, as described in the glazing process (Source 3)
composition
The composition likely organizes natural scenery into a coherent view, with the sky included as a significant element (Source 4). Farquharson’s landscapes often focus on atmospheric conditions, suggesting the composition balances the horizon line to emphasize the weather and lighting of the 'closing winter day'. The arrangement of elements follows general landscape principles, where the main subject is a wide view with elements arranged to create depth and spatial coherence (Source 4).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the landscape composition onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint. Focus on the major forms of the terrain, sky, and atmospheric elements.
Tip — Ensure the sketch is light enough to be covered by subsequent layers but clear enough to guide the underpainting.
Initial Sketching
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using neutral tones. This layer establishes the value structure of the painting, mentally extracting red and yellow colors to focus on light and shadow.
Tip — Allow this layer to dry completely before proceeding to color application to ensure proper adhesion and prevent cracking.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Begin applying color using glazing and scumbling techniques. Glaze with transparent coats of color, particularly yellow and red tones, to add warmth and light effects. Scumble with semi-opaque paint to create texture and coldness where needed.
Tip — Follow the 'fat over lean' rule: ensure each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to prevent cracking and peeling.
Glazing and Scumbling
refining
step 04
Refine the atmospheric conditions and lighting effects. Use brushes or palette knives to adjust the texture and form of the landscape elements. Oil paint remains wet longer than other materials, allowing for adjustments to color and texture.
Tip — If corrections are needed while the paint is wet, use a rag and turpentine to remove layers. If the paint has hardened, scrape it off with a palette knife.
Wet-on-Wet Adjustment
finishing
step 05
Complete the painting by ensuring all layers are dry. Oil paint dries by oxidation, typically within two weeks, though some colors may dry faster. Check for any areas needing final adjustments to value or color harmony.
Tip — Allow sufficient drying time between sessions to avoid disturbing underlying layers.
Oxidation Drying
varnishing
step 06
Apply a varnish to protect the painting and enhance the sheen and depth of the colors. This step is optional but recommended for long-term preservation and visual richness.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before applying varnish to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Fat over Lean
A basic rule of oil paint application where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below. This ensures proper drying and prevents cracking and peeling. Essential for building up the landscape’s depth and texture.
Glazing
Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting. Used to add warmth and light effects, particularly with yellow and red tones, as described in the grisaille method.
Scumbling
Applying semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create texture and coldness. Useful for depicting winter atmospheres and snow effects.
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding how adjacent colors affect each other’s perception. Important for harmonizing the colors of the landscape, especially the sky and terrain, to create realistic light modifications.
common pitfalls
- →Applying lean layers over fat layers, which can lead to cracking and peeling of the paint film (Source 1).
- →Failing to allow sufficient drying time between layers, especially when using glazing techniques, which can result in muddied colors or physical instability (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and harmony in the landscape (Source 7).
- →Overworking wet paint without considering the drying time, which can disrupt the underlying layers and texture (Source 1).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific pigments used by Farquharson for this particular painting are not detailed in the sources.
- ·The exact dimensions and canvas type are not provided.
- ·Detailed visual description of the specific landscape elements (e.g., presence of trees, mountains, or water) is not available in the sources, so general landscape conventions are applied.
- ·Farquharson’s specific brushwork style for this piece is not described, so general oil painting techniques are recommended.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color theory and simultaneous contrast for harmonizing landscape colors.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to General oil painting techniques, including underdrawing, fat over lean rule, drying times, and tools.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 1 — applied to Definition and elements of landscape painting, including sky and weather.
- Landscape painting — part 13 — applied to Farquharson’s focus on atmospheric conditions and landscape types.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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