plate no. 3213
Yellowstone Canyon
Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1917
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering washes to create depth and texture, and in simplifying complex geological forms into manageable shapes. It also provides practice in creating atmospheric perspective.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes of the canyon walls, cliffs, and trees.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted raw umber or burnt sienna to the entire canvas as an underpainting.
- step 03
Begin layering washes of color to establish the basic values and forms of the canyon walls, starting with the lightest areas.
- step 04
Gradually build up darker values in the shadows and crevices, using a mix of burnt umber, ultramarine blue, and a touch of black.
- step 05
Paint the trees using a dark green mix, varying the tones to create depth and dimension.
- step 06
Add details to the rocks and cliffs using dry brush techniques to create texture.
- step 07
Glaze with thin washes to unify the colors and create atmospheric perspective.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · black
Achieve the muted earth tones by mixing the primary colors with small amounts of secondary colors. Use white to lighten values and create highlights.
techniques
- ·layering washes
- ·dry brush
- ·glazing
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·value studies
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of atmosphere.
- →Using colors that are too saturated and not muted enough.
- →Failing to establish a strong value structure.
- →Making the trees too uniform and lacking variation.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. Prepare the canvas with gesso before painting.
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