plate no. 6119
Winter Forest
Aleksander Belyaev, 2016
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand how to paint snow with subtle color variations and how to create depth in a forest scene using atmospheric perspective and layering.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the trees and the main shadow shapes.
- step 02
Block in the dark areas of the forest with a mix of dark browns and blues.
- step 03
Apply a base layer of white mixed with blues and purples for the snow, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 04
Add the tree trunks with varying shades of brown, highlighting the areas where the light hits.
- step 05
Paint the branches, using thin lines and varying the pressure to create different thicknesses.
- step 06
Add highlights to the snow and trees with white and light yellows to create a sense of sunlight.
- step 07
Refine the details, such as the texture of the snow and the small branches.
- step 08
Glaze thin layers of color to adjust the values and create a sense of depth.
color palette
primary · titanium white · burnt umber · ultramarine blue
secondary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · violet
Mix white with small amounts of blue and purple to create the cool tones of the snow shadows. Use burnt umber and yellow ochre for the tree trunks, adding white for highlights.
techniques
- ·layering
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·atmospheric perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the snow, making it look flat and unrealistic.
- →Using too much pure white, which can make the painting look stark.
- →Not creating enough contrast between the light and shadow areas.
- →Making the branches too uniform, which can make the painting look unnatural.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·flat brush (size 8)
- ·palette knife
optional
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·violet oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-tooth canvas for best results. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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