plate no. 8706

Whitchurch Hill, Oxfordshire

oilRealismlandscapelandscapesheepfieldhillsskytrees

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice atmospheric perspective and learn how to depict soft, diffused light. Students will also develop skills in rendering textures of grass and wool.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition: horizon line, hills, and placement of sheep.
step 02
Establish the sky with blended yellows, oranges, and grays, creating a soft gradient.
step 03
Block in the distant hills with muted greens and blues, using darker values for depth.
step 04
Lay in the base color for the field with a mix of greens, yellows, and browns.
step 05
Add details to the grass with varied strokes and colors, creating texture and depth.
step 06
Paint the sheep with off-whites and grays, using short strokes to suggest wool.
step 07
Add shadows and highlights to the sheep to give them form and dimension.
step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create a sense of atmosphere and realism.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white · sap green

secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre, sap green, and ultramarine blue. Achieve soft, muted tones by adding raw umber or burnt sienna to your colors.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·color blending
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall atmospheric effect.
→Making the colors too saturated and not achieving the muted tones.
→Failing to create depth in the field and hills.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (yellow ochre, raw umber, titanium white, sap green, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·palette
·palette knife