plate no. 6178

Two Old Men Beside a Sled Bearing the Coats of Arms of Amsterdam and Utrecht

watercolorBaroquegenre paintingfiguresicesledboatsskylandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering figures in a landscape. It also provides practice in creating subtle color variations and depicting reflections on ice.

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: figures, sled, boats, and horizon line.
step 02
Establish the sky with a light wash of blue and pink, blending softly.
step 03
Paint the distant landscape and boats using diluted colors to create atmospheric perspective.
step 04
Block in the basic colors of the figures and sled, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the figures, including clothing folds and facial features.
step 06
Paint the ice surface with varying shades of blue, gray, and white, adding reflections of the figures and boats.
step 07
Add final details such as the coats of arms on the sled and the Dutch flag.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

Mix blues and whites for the sky and ice. Use burnt sienna and yellow ochre for the figures' clothing and the sled. Add small amounts of red to warm the browns.

techniques