plate no. 2130

View of Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Grounds

oil, canvasRomanticismlandscapecathedraltreeslandscapecowsskyfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective, layering techniques, and rendering complex textures like foliage and stonework. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and capturing the subtle nuances of light and shadow in a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the cathedral, trees, and horizon line.
step 02
Establish the sky with broad, blended strokes of blue and white, creating a sense of atmospheric perspective.
step 03
Block in the general shapes and values of the trees, using darker greens and browns for the foreground and lighter, cooler tones for the background.
step 04
Paint the cathedral using a light, warm gray, paying attention to the architectural details and the play of light and shadow.
step 05
Add the foreground elements, such as the cows, figures, and water, using smaller brushes and more detailed brushwork.
step 06
Refine the details of the trees, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and texture.
step 07
Glaze the painting with thin layers of color to unify the composition and enhance the atmospheric effects.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the cathedral and foreground elements.

color palette

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

secondary · sap green · raw sienna · ivory black

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Create various shades of gray for the cathedral by mixing white with small amounts of burnt umber and ultramarine blue. Use thin washes of raw sienna and burnt umber to create the warm tones in the foreground.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·layering
·dry brushing
·glazing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the cathedral too early.
→Creating too much contrast in the foreground, which can flatten the image.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of atmospheric perspective.
→Using too much paint, which can make the painting look heavy and muddy.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt umber, titanium white, sap green, raw sienna, ivory black)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·palette
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette knife
·rags