plate no. 4912

Winter

Vilhelms Purvitis, 1910

oil, canvasArt Nouveau (Modern)landscapetreessnowwaterskywinterlandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create atmospheric perspective and practicing different brushstrokes to represent various textures like snow, water, and tree branches.

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 trees, water, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light yellow-grey wash, adding darker grey for the clouds.
step 03
Establish the snow-covered ground with a mix of white, grey, and blue, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 04
Paint the trees using dark browns and greys, building up the intricate branch structure with small, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Create the water reflection with dark browns and greys, mirroring the shapes of the trees and sky.
step 06
Add highlights to the snow and water to create a sense of light and depth.
step 07
Refine the details of the trees and branches, adding subtle variations in color and texture.
step 08
Glaze the entire painting with thin washes of color to unify the composition and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · ivory black

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and ivory black to create various shades of grey for the snow and sky. Use yellow ochre to warm the highlights and ultramarine blue to cool the shadows.

techniques

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

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details of the trees, resulting in a flat and lifeless appearance.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in tone in the snow and sky.
→Creating too much contrast between the light and dark areas, resulting in a harsh and unrealistic effect.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, causing the background to appear too sharp and detailed.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, ivory black, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna)
·linseed oil
·turpentine
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags