plate no. 5137

Two Poplar Trees

oil, paperNeoclassicismlandscapetreesbuildingslandscapeskyfoliagehill

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations in the sky and foliage, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective to create depth. It also provides practice in rendering simple architectural forms and tree shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, building shapes, and tree positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, paying attention to subtle value changes.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes of the buildings with light washes of earth tones.
step 04
Paint the trees, starting with the trunks and then adding foliage with varied greens and browns.
step 05
Develop the foliage and ground cover, using short brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and shadows.
step 07
Refine the colors and values throughout the painting, paying attention to atmospheric perspective.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the trees and foliage.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt sienna · sap green

Mix ultramarine blue and white for the sky, adding a touch of raw umber for subtle variations. Use raw umber and yellow ochre for the buildings, and mix greens with yellow ochre and ultramarine blue.

techniques