plate no. 5631
Vinternatt Över Kajen
Eugène Jansson, 1901
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and atmosphere, as well as simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values. It's a good exercise in understanding color temperature and how it affects mood.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition: horizon line, building shape, and tree placement.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: dark blue for the sky, lighter blue for the snow, and mid-tone blue for the building.
- step 03
Begin layering colors in the sky, adding subtle variations of blue and hints of green and purple.
- step 04
Develop the snow texture with short, broken brushstrokes, using lighter blues and whites.
- step 05
Paint the building, focusing on the shapes of the windows and the roofline.
- step 06
Add the bare tree branches, using a thin brush and dark blue or black paint.
- step 07
Refine the details and adjust the values to create depth and atmosphere.
- step 08
Add the light reflections on the water.
color palette
primary · Prussian Blue · Titanium White · Ultramarine Blue
secondary · Yellow Ochre · Payne's Gray · Viridian
Mix various shades of blue by combining Prussian Blue and Ultramarine Blue with Titanium White. Use Yellow Ochre sparingly to create a warm glow for the lights. Add Payne's Gray to darken the blues.
techniques
- ·Layering
- ·Dry brushing
- ·Scumbling
- ·Color mixing
- ·Atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the colors and losing the subtle variations.
- →Making the snow too white and losing the blue tones.
- →Not establishing a clear value structure.
- →Getting the proportions of the building wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·Oil paints (Prussian Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Payne's Gray)
- ·Round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·Flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·Palette
- ·Linseed oil
- ·Odorless mineral spirits
- ·Palette knife
optional
- ·Medium gloss
- ·Retarder
Use a high-quality canvas to achieve the best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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