plate no. 5644

Winter

Ernest Lawson, 1920

oil, canvasImpressionismlandscapelandscapesnowtreeshousemountainswinter

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create texture and capturing the subtle nuances of light in a snowy landscape. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into impressionistic brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the mountains, trees, and house, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Establish the sky and background with thin washes of color, blending gently.
step 03
Block in the larger shapes of the mountains and trees with broader strokes, using a mix of greens, blues, and browns.
step 04
Begin layering the snow, using a mix of white, blue, and yellow to create variations in tone and temperature.
step 05
Add details to the house, focusing on capturing its form with simple shapes and colors.
step 06
Develop the texture of the trees and ground with short, broken brushstrokes, varying the direction and pressure.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches and details, such as small branches and subtle color variations.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · viridian green

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix white with small amounts of blue and yellow to create the cool tones of the snow. Use green and brown combinations for the trees, and add touches of red and yellow for warmth.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·layering
·scumbling
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Using too much detail and not capturing the impressionistic style.
→Failing to create enough variation in the snow, resulting in a flat and uninteresting surface.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.