plate no. 4545

View of Civitella and the Sabine Mountains

oil, cardboardRomanticismlandscapetreeslandscapemountainshillssheepsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmospheric perspective, as well as practicing loose brushwork to suggest foliage and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: mountains, hills, and the large tree mass.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light blue and gray.
step 03
Establish the basic colors of the hills and mountains using earth tones, varying the values to create depth.
step 04
Paint the large tree mass using dark greens and browns, leaving some areas lighter to suggest sunlight.
step 05
Add details to the foliage with short, broken brushstrokes, varying the colors and values.
step 06
Paint the sheep with small dabs of white and gray, suggesting their forms without over-defining them.
step 07
Add the figure and building in the background, keeping them simple and indistinct.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of atmosphere and depth.

color palette

primary · sap green · raw umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black

Mix greens by combining blue and yellow ochre, and vary the shades with touches of raw umber or burnt sienna. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

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

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details, losing the loose and painterly feel.
→Making the colors too saturated, resulting in a less naturalistic look.
→Failing to create enough depth and atmosphere in the background.
→Defining the sheep too much, making them stand out unnaturally.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints (sap green, raw umber, titanium white, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ivory black)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife