plate no. 9097

White Birch

Maxfield Parrish, 1929

oilRomanticismlandscapeskytreelandscapefigurehorseshill

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and subtle color blending to create depth and form. They will also learn to depict realistic tree bark texture and the human figure within a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the tree, hill, figures, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a gradient of blues, lighter towards the horizon.
step 03
Establish the base colors for the hill and foreground, using earth tones.
step 04
Paint the birch tree trunk with white and gray, adding details to the bark.
step 05
Add the branches of the tree, using thin lines and varying the thickness.
step 06
Paint the figures and horses in the background, paying attention to their relative size and placement.
step 07
Refine the details of the hill and foreground, adding shadows and highlights to create texture.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to the entire painting, ensuring a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ivory black

Mix blues and white for the sky, adding a touch of yellow ochre near the horizon. Use raw umber, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna for the earth tones, mixing in white for highlights and ivory black for shadows. Create the birch bark by mixing white with small amounts of raw umber and ivory black.

techniques