plate no. 6002

Trees

Grace Cossington Smith, 1927

oilCubismlandscapetreeslandscapegardenfoliagepathsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and practice applying short, deliberate brushstrokes to build form and texture. It also encourages observation of how light affects color in nature.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition of the trees, path, and sky.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 03
Begin adding smaller, individual brushstrokes to define the shapes of the leaves and foliage.
step 04
Mix and apply variations of greens, blues, and purples to create depth and dimension.
step 05
Use lighter colors to indicate highlights and darker colors for shadows.
step 06
Pay attention to the direction of the brushstrokes to suggest form and texture.
step 07
Refine the details of the path and any other elements in the foreground.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed to achieve a cohesive and harmonious composition.

color palette

primary · sap green · cerulean blue · yellow ochre

secondary · purple · burnt umber · titanium white

Mix greens by combining blues and yellows, and use white to create lighter tints. Achieve muted tones by adding small amounts of complementary colors.

techniques

·broken color
·pointillism
·color mixing
·scumbling
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors and losing vibrancy.
→Creating flat, uniform areas of color.
→Ignoring the direction of light and shadow.
→Getting lost in the details and losing sight of the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·acrylic or oil paints
·round brushes (various sizes)
·flat brushes (various sizes)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil (if using oils)
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits (for cleaning brushes)

optional

·painting medium
·easel
·color wheel

Using a limited palette can help to create a more harmonious color scheme. Experiment with different brushstroke techniques to achieve the desired texture.

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