plate no. 7520

The Trapper

Sydney Laurence, 1914

oilRomanticismgenre paintingsnowtreesfigurewinterlandscapewildlife

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to depict the effects of light and shadow on snow. It also provides practice in rendering figures in a landscape setting.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the figure, the trees, and the snowdrifts.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the darks and lights with thin washes.
step 03
Start with the sky, blending blues and violets to create a soft, atmospheric effect.
step 04
Paint the distant trees with muted colors and soft edges to create depth.
step 05
Focus on the figure, paying attention to the highlights and shadows on the clothing and face.
step 06
Add details to the snow, using short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and variation.
step 07
Paint the foreground elements, such as the branches and the animal, with sharper details.
step 08
Refine the overall composition by adjusting values and adding highlights where needed.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Mix blues and whites for the sky and snow shadows. Use burnt umber and yellow ochre for the figure's clothing and tree trunks. Add alizarin crimson to burnt umber for warmer shadows.

techniques