plate no. 9421

Village Kermis in Schelle with Self Portrait

oakBaroqueself-portraitfiguresboatsbuildingstreesriversky

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting complex scenes with many figures and objects, and understanding atmospheric perspective to create depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 25 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to map out the major elements: the village, river, boats, and crowds.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and basic perspective of the buildings and river.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the sky, water, and land masses with thin washes of color.
step 04
Start adding details to the buildings, trees, and boats, working from background to foreground.
step 05
Begin painting the figures, focusing on capturing their gestures and interactions.
step 06
Refine the details of the figures, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 07
Add final details such as birds, reflections in the water, and small objects in the foreground.
step 08
Glaze over the entire painting to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · raw sienna

Achieve the muted greens by mixing yellow ochre with ultramarine blue and a touch of burnt umber. Create atmospheric perspective by adding white to the blues and greens as you move towards the horizon.

techniques