plate no. 9534

Tulcea Outskirts

oilExpressionismlandscapebuildingsskytreeslandscapegrass

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes and using expressive brushstrokes to convey form and texture. It's a good exercise in color mixing and layering.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, horizon line, and trees with light pencil or thin paint.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, varying the tone slightly for interest.
step 03
Apply a base layer of green for the field, using broad, visible brushstrokes.
step 04
Add the buildings with simplified shapes, paying attention to the roof angles and shadow areas.
step 05
Paint the trees with dark green and brown, using vertical strokes to suggest their form.
step 06
Add the row of small trees in the foreground with reddish-brown tones.
step 07
Introduce highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Refine details and adjust colors as needed, maintaining the expressive brushwork.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · viridian green · titanium white · burnt umber

secondary · cadmium red · yellow ochre

Mix the sky blue by blending ultramarine blue with white, adding a touch of red for a slightly violet hue. Achieve the greens by mixing viridian with yellow ochre and white. Use burnt umber and cadmium red for the foreground trees.

techniques

·blocking in
·expressive brushstrokes
·color layering
·simplification
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality.
→Making the colors too uniform and lacking variation.
→Not simplifying the shapes enough and getting bogged down in details.
→Ignoring the importance of brushstroke direction.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·acrylic or oil paints
·round brushes (#4, #8)
·flat brush (#6)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil (if using oils)
·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning if using oils)

optional

·painting medium
·easel
·rags

Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the brushstroke visibility. Acrylics are beginner-friendly, while oils offer richer colors and blending capabilities.

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