plate no. 4841

Woodside Pastoral

Horace Trenerry, 1930

oilImpressionismlandscapetreesskycloudsfieldlandscapebuilding

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as using visible brushstrokes to convey movement and form. It also provides practice in simplifying complex shapes into basic forms.

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 trees, horizon line, and building.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blues and whites, using short, broken brushstrokes to represent the clouds.
step 03
Establish the dark masses of the trees with a mix of browns, blues, and greens.
step 04
Lay in the base color of the field using muted browns and yellows.
step 05
Add details to the trees, varying the color and direction of brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Build up the field with layers of different colors, using short, horizontal strokes to suggest grass.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to the building to give it form.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · raw sienna · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

Mix blues and whites for the sky, adding small amounts of yellow ochre for warmer tones. Create the dark tree colors by mixing burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Muted greens can be achieved by mixing yellow ochre and ultramarine blue.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Making the colors too saturated and not capturing the muted tones of the landscape.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point.
→Not varying the brushstrokes enough to create texture and interest.