plate no. 2158

Valley of Ornans

oil, canvasRealismlandscapelandscapetreeshillsbuildingsskyriver

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and layering to create depth. It also provides practice in rendering foliage and varied textures using visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and major shapes.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of light blue, allowing some canvas to show through.
step 03
Establish the dark values of the foreground hill and trees using a mix of browns and greens.
step 04
Layer in the mid-ground hills, gradually lightening the values to create atmospheric perspective.
step 05
Add details to the trees, using short, broken brushstrokes to suggest foliage.
step 06
Paint the buildings and river, paying attention to their relative scale and placement.
step 07
Refine the details and textures in the foreground, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting and enhance the colors.

color palette

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

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · raw sienna

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Create earth tones by mixing burnt umber with yellow ochre and white. Use white to lighten values and create atmospheric perspective.

techniques