plate no. 0729

Through The Calm And Frosty Air

oilRealismlandscapetreessnowsheepfigurepathlandscape

recreation guide

Joseph Farquharson’s 'Through The Calm And Frosty Air' is a landscape painting that falls within the tradition of depicting natural scenery, specifically focusing on atmospheric conditions and weather as key compositional elements (Source 1). As a work of Realism, it likely aims to represent a specific view or a coherent composition of natural elements such as trees, forests, or open ground, arranged to create a unified visual experience (Source 1). The title suggests a focus on 'skyscapes' or atmospheric effects, where the depiction of cold, frosty air and calm weather forms are central to the artwork's impact, rather than just the topographical details of the land (Source 2).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

7 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints	Primary medium for the painting	—
Linseed oil	Medium to thin paint and adjust drying time; essential for 'fat over lean' layering	Refined linseed oil
Mineral spirits or turpentine	Solvent for thinning initial layers and cleaning brushes	Odorless mineral spirits
Canvas	Support surface for the oil painting	Primed linen or cotton canvas
Charcoal or thinned paint	For initial sketching of the composition	Vine charcoal or diluted oil paint
Paintbrushes	Traditional tool for transferring paint to the surface	—
Palette knives	Optional for scraping or applying thick paint layers	—

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be primed to accept oil paint. While specific priming methods for Farquharson are not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practices involve preparing a stable ground to ensure the paint film adheres properly and remains durable (Source 3).

underdrawing

Begin by sketching the subject onto the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint to establish the composition of the landscape elements, such as the horizon line, trees, and atmospheric forms (Source 3). This step organizes the visual elements before applying color (Source 7).

underpainting

Consider using a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) to establish values and forms before applying color. This technique involves painting in neutral tones, effectively 'extracting' red and yellow colors to focus on structure, which can later be glazed with color (Source 4). This approach is consistent with traditional methods used by old masters to build depth and luminosity (Source 4).

color palette

Cool Greys and Blues

Ultramarine, white, and black

Depicting the 'frosty air' and cold atmospheric conditions; consistent with the title's emphasis on cold weather

Earth Tones

Ochres, umbers, and siennas

General use in landscape painting for ground, trees, and natural scenery (Source 1)

White

Titanium or Zinc White

Highlighting frost, snow, or bright atmospheric areas; essential for value contrast in realism

composition

The composition should arrange natural elements like trees, forests, or open ground into a coherent whole, with the sky almost always included as a significant part of the view (Source 1). Avoid exact bisections of the picture space; position the horizon line to emphasize either the sky or the ground, likely showing more sky if the atmospheric 'calm and frosty air' is the primary subject (Source 8). Ensure there is a center of interest to prevent the work from becoming a mere pattern, and use detailed areas contrasted with 'rest' areas to guide the viewer's eye (Source 8).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the landscape composition on the canvas using charcoal or thinned paint, establishing the horizon, major tree forms, and atmospheric boundaries.
Tip — Ensure the horizon line is not centered to avoid a static composition (Source 8).
Initial sketching

underpainting

step 02
Apply a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using neutral tones to establish the values and forms of the landscape. This layer should be lean (mixed with more solvent than oil).
Tip — Focus on value contrast rather than color at this stage to build structural integrity (Source 4).
Grisaille underpainting

first pass

step 03
Begin applying color layers, adhering to the 'fat over lean' rule. Each subsequent layer should contain more oil than the previous one to prevent cracking.
Tip — Use thinner paint for initial color blocks and thicker paint for highlights and details (Source 3).
Fat over lean

refining

step 04
Glaze transparent coats of color over the dry underpainting to enhance depth and atmospheric effects, particularly for the 'frosty air' and sky. Scumble semi-opaque paint to create cold, grey blooms if needed.
Tip — Glazing adds luminosity; scumbling can create the texture of frost or mist (Source 4).
Glazing and Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine details in the landscape elements, such as tree branches or ground textures, using brushes or palette knives. Ensure the weather elements are integrated into the composition.
Tip — Use contrast between detailed areas and rest areas to guide the viewer's eye (Source 8).
Detailing

varnishing

step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (up to two weeks) before applying a varnish to protect the surface and unify the sheen.
Tip — Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation, so patience is required (Source 3).
Varnishing

critical techniques

Fat over Lean

A basic rule of oil painting where each additional layer contains more oil than the layer below to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking. This is crucial for building up the atmospheric layers in a landscape.

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to achieve depth and luminosity, particularly useful for depicting atmospheric conditions like frosty air.

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create cold, grey blooms or textured effects, which can simulate the appearance of frost or mist in the landscape.

common pitfalls

→Violating the 'fat over lean' rule, which can cause the paint film to crack and peel over time (Source 3).
→Placing the horizon line exactly in the center, which can create a static and uninteresting composition (Source 8).
→Ignoring the importance of the sky and weather in the composition, which are key elements in landscape painting (Source 1).
→Applying thick paint too early in the process, which can lead to poor adhesion and drying issues (Source 3).

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 Joseph Farquharson are not detailed in the sources; general landscape pigments are assumed.
·The exact topographical details of 'Through The Calm And Frosty Air' are not described, so the composition is generalized based on landscape principles.
·Farquharson's specific brushwork style is not detailed, so general oil painting techniques are recommended.
·The specific year of creation is not available, so period-specific material constraints are inferred from general oil painting practices.

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 Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 1 — applied to Overview and composition notes regarding natural scenery and weather elements
- Landscape painting — part 13 — applied to Overview regarding skyscapes and atmospheric conditions
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 2 — applied to Materials, underdrawing, fat over lean rule, and drying times
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to Composition notes regarding horizon lines, center of interest, and detail contrast