plate no. 3953

Winter Landscape

Konstantin Gorbatov, 1922

oil, cardboardPost-Impressionismlandscapesnowhousestreeswinterlandscapesky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to depict snow realistically using color temperature and value, as well as how to create depth through atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in rendering architectural forms and trees with loose, expressive brushstrokes.

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, trees, and the path.
step 02
Establish the sky with soft, blended colors, creating a subtle gradient.
step 03
Block in the large areas of snow, using cool blues and purples in the shadows and warmer tones in the highlights.
step 04
Paint the houses with their respective colors, paying attention to the light and shadow on their surfaces.
step 05
Add the trees, using varied brushstrokes to suggest their texture and form.
step 06
Refine the details of the snow, adding footprints and subtle variations in color.
step 07
Add the small figure in the distance.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · cadmium red · viridian green

Mix blues and whites for the snow shadows, adding touches of yellow ochre for warmer areas. Use burnt sienna and cadmium red for the roofs, and mix greens with blues and yellows for the foliage.

techniques