plate no. 8771

The White House

Alfred Kubin, 1906

oilExpressionismlandscapehouserivertreeslandscapebuildingssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating atmospheric perspective and using a limited palette to create a cohesive mood. It also provides practice in rendering simple architectural forms and reflections in water.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, river, and trees, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure by blocking in the dark and light areas with diluted paint.
step 03
Begin refining the sky and background, blending colors to create a sense of atmosphere.
step 04
Paint the buildings, focusing on capturing their simple forms and the subtle variations in tone.
step 05
Add the details of the river, including reflections and the texture of the water's surface.
step 06
Paint the foreground elements, such as the vegetation and the riverbank, using loose brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall composition as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · burnt sienna

secondary · payne's gray · cadmium red light

Mix white with raw umber and a touch of burnt sienna to create the various shades of gray and brown. Use Payne's gray to darken the shadows and create atmospheric effects. A touch of cadmium red light can be added to create the roof color and some subtle warmth in the landscape.

techniques

·dry brush
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·limited palette
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
→Creating too much contrast and flattening the image.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure early on.
→Using colors that are too saturated and clashing with the overall mood.