plate no. 3179

WINTER LANDSCAPE

JAROSLAV KELUC, 1964

oilImpressionismlandscapewinterlandscapesnowhousestreesvillage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing for snow and shadows, and layering brushstrokes to create texture and depth in a landscape. It also provides practice in depicting atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the houses and the horizon line.
step 02
Establish the sky with a thin wash of pale gray and pink.
step 03
Block in the dark shapes of the trees and the distant hill.
step 04
Begin layering the snow with white mixed with blues, purples, and yellows to create shadows and highlights.
step 05
Add the houses, focusing on their basic shapes and the snow on their roofs.
step 06
Refine the details of the trees, using dry brush techniques to create texture.
step 07
Add the foreground details, such as the snow drifts and the bare patches of ground.
step 08
Adjust values and colors to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna · yellow ochre

secondary · alizarin crimson · viridian green

Mix white with small amounts of blue, yellow, and red to create the various shades of snow. Use burnt sienna and ultramarine blue to create muted browns and grays for the trees and buildings.

techniques

·dry brush
·layering
·color mixing
·atmospheric perspective
·broken color

common pitfalls

→Using pure white for the snow without considering the shadows and reflected colors.
→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Failing to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture.