plate no. 6933
Villa with Orange Trees, Nice
Berthe Morisot, 1882
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impressionistic brushwork and color mixing to create a sense of light and atmosphere. It also provides practice in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the building, trees, and horizon line.
- step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of light blue and white.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the building, foliage, and ground.
- step 04
Begin adding layers of broken color to suggest the texture of the foliage and the light on the building.
- step 05
Use short, visible brushstrokes to create the impression of leaves and branches.
- step 06
Add the orange fruits with small dabs of orange and yellow paint.
- step 07
Refine the details of the building and the foreground, paying attention to the play of light and shadow.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · titanium white · cerulean blue · yellow ochre · viridian green
secondary · cadmium orange · burnt umber · alizarin crimson
Mix greens by combining blue and yellow, and create variations in foliage by adding touches of brown, red, or white. Achieve the building's color by mixing white with small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt umber.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·impasto
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
- ·optical mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Blending colors too much, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Focusing too much on detail and not enough on the overall impression.
- →Failing to capture the light and atmosphere of the scene.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 or similar)
- ·oil paints
- ·palette
- ·assorted brushes (round and flat)
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·rags
optional
- ·painting medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·easel
- ·reference photo print
Use a canvas with a medium texture to allow for expressive brushwork. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
tips & new artworks in your inbox
no spam — unsubscribe anytime.
or to save artworks, chat, and track progress
related guides
in this vein
