plate no. 9114
Village Against Purple Mountain
Maurice Prendergast, 1913
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering watercolor washes and creating depth through color and value variations. It also encourages a simplified and expressive approach to landscape painting.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountain, village, and tree.
- step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted red-brown for the mountain, allowing it to dry.
- step 03
Add darker values to the mountain using a more concentrated red-brown mix, creating texture with varied brushstrokes.
- step 04
Paint the sky with light washes of blue and purple, leaving some areas white for clouds.
- step 05
Block in the shapes of the village buildings with light washes of white and gray.
- step 06
Add the trees and foliage using a mix of greens, yellows, and reds, varying the values to create depth.
- step 07
Paint the foreground with a green wash, adding darker greens and blues for shadows.
- step 08
Add final details and accents to the tree and village with darker colors.
color palette
primary · red-brown · blue · green
secondary · purple · yellow · white
Mix red and brown for the mountain; vary the ratio for different values. Create greens by mixing blue and yellow; add red or brown to mute the greens. Use diluted washes for lighter areas and more concentrated mixes for darker areas.
techniques
- ·wet-on-dry layering
- ·watercolor washes
- ·broken color
- ·simplified shapes
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the washes and losing transparency.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
- →Making the composition too detailed and losing the simplified style.
- →Not allowing washes to dry completely before adding subsequent layers.
materials
surface · watercolor paper 140lb
required
- ·Watercolor paints (red, brown, blue, green, yellow, purple)
- ·Watercolor paper (140lb cold press)
- ·Round watercolor brushes (various sizes)
- ·Palette for mixing paints
- ·Water container
- ·Paper towels
- ·Pencil
- ·Eraser
optional
- ·Masking fluid
- ·Palette knife
- ·Spray bottle
Use good quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve varied textures.
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