plate no. 4989

Thiepval

William Orpen, 1917

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapeskullslandscaperuinsskycloudsbones

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve muted tones and practice layering techniques to create depth and texture in a complex scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the main elements like the tree trunk and skulls.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and whites, loosely suggesting cloud formations.
step 03
Establish the base tones of the ground and debris with a mix of white, grey, and muted browns.
step 04
Begin layering in the shadows and highlights on the debris and skulls, using cooler tones for shadows and warmer tones for highlights.
step 05
Add details to the tree trunk, focusing on its texture and form.
step 06
Introduce small pops of color with the red flowers and green patches.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final touches, such as subtle color variations and texture.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · sap green · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white to dull the intensity. Use thin washes of color to build up layers and create depth.

techniques

·layering
·dry brushing
·color mixing
·scumbling
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Using colors that are too saturated and not achieving the muted palette.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
→Not paying attention to the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.