plate no. 1471
Water Castle
Gustav Klimt, 1908
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create texture and capturing reflections in water. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into abstract shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, trees, and water line.
- step 02
Apply a base layer of dark green for the water and darker greens/browns for the foliage.
- step 03
Begin layering lighter greens, yellows, and blues on the foliage to create texture and highlights.
- step 04
Paint the buildings with a base of yellow ochre, adding shadows with burnt umber and highlights with white.
- step 05
Create the reflections in the water by mirroring the colors and shapes of the objects above, using horizontal brushstrokes.
- step 06
Add small dabs of color to the foliage to simulate leaves, using a variety of greens, yellows, and blues.
- step 07
Refine the details of the buildings, such as windows and roof lines.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the water and foliage to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · viridian green · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow
Mix greens by combining viridian green with cadmium yellow or ultramarine blue. Create variations in the foliage by adding small amounts of burnt umber or white to the greens. Achieve the water color by layering viridian green, burnt umber, and ultramarine blue.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the foliage, resulting in a flat, uniform texture.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and value in the water.
- →Making the reflections too literal, rather than abstract and impressionistic.
- →Not simplifying the complex forms of the buildings and trees.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·oil paints (yellow ochre, viridian green, burnt umber, titanium white, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow)
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
optional
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Pre-tinting the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber can help create a warm underpainting.
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