plate no. 8180

Winter Landscape

oilImpressionismlandscapebuildingssnowlandscapeskyvillage

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing loose brushwork and color mixing to create a sense of light and atmosphere. Students will also develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and values.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of light gray and blue.
step 03
Establish the main value masses for the buildings and snow-covered areas.
step 04
Begin adding local color to the buildings, using a variety of warm and cool tones.
step 05
Use thicker paint and visible brushstrokes to define the details of the snow and architecture.
step 06
Add highlights to suggest the direction of light.
step 07
Refine the edges and shapes of the buildings, paying attention to the overall composition.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · yellow ochre

secondary · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · cadmium yellow

Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and blue for the sky and snow. Use yellow ochre and burnt sienna for the warm tones of the buildings, and add touches of blue or umber to cool them down.

techniques

·broken color
·alla prima
·scumbling
·color temperature control

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Using too much white and making the painting look flat.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough, resulting in a monotonous texture.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the snow and buildings.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 12x16
·Oil paints (titanium white, raw umber, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt sienna)
·Palette
·Assorted brushes (flat and round)
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Linseed oil
·Palette knife