plate no. 3546

View from the Old British Trenches- Looking towards La Boisselle, Courcelette on the Left, Martinpuich on the Right

William Orpen, 1917

oilPost-Impressionismlandscapelandscapetrencheshillsskycloudsvegetation

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding atmospheric perspective to convey distance.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the major landforms.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and purples, blending softly.
step 03
Establish the distant hills with muted greens and browns, using lighter values.
step 04
Define the foreground trenches with darker greens, browns, and yellows, varying the brushstrokes.
step 05
Add highlights to the sunlit areas of the trenches and hills.
step 06
Layer different shades of green and brown to create texture in the vegetation.
step 07
Refine the details of the trenches, adding small strokes to suggest individual plants and rocks.
step 08
Adjust values and colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium green · alizarin crimson · violet

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Create muted tones by adding a touch of complementary color. Use white to lighten values and create atmospheric haze.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·layering
·dry brushing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the foreground.
→Creating too much contrast, which flattens the image.
→Using pure colors without mixing, resulting in a harsh look.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the distant hills appear too sharp.