plate no. 4540
Yon Yellow Sunset Dying in the West
recreation guide
Joseph Farquharson is a Scottish painter renowned for his landscapes, particularly snowy winter scenes and depictions of dawn or dusk, often featuring animals such as sheep (Source 5). While the specific visual details of 'Yon Yellow Sunset Dying in the West' are not described in the provided sources, the title suggests a focus on atmospheric light conditions characteristic of his work. Farquharson’s practice involved painting in oils, and his style is generally associated with realism and the depiction of rural Scottish life (Source 5). The recreation of this work would rely on general oil painting techniques appropriate for the late 19th/early 20th century, including the use of glazing and scumbling to achieve luminous effects in sunset scenes, as well as an understanding of color contrast to render the modifications of light on the landscape (Source 1, Source 2).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (pigments) | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Linseed oil | Drying oil and medium for mixing paints; general purpose oil | Refined linseed oil |
| Varnish | Used in mixture with oil for glazing and scumbling techniques | Dammar varnish or similar picture varnish |
| Canvas or linen support | Surface for painting; linen is historically common | Primed linen or cotton canvas |
| White pigment (e.g., Titanium White or historically Lead White) | For tints and highlights; Lead White was dominant historically but restricted now | Titanium White or Zinc White |
| Yellow and Red pigments | For glazing and scumbling sunset tones | Cadmium Yellow/Red or modern equivalents |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a linen or canvas support. While specific ground preparation for Farquharson is not detailed in the sources, standard practice for oil painting involves priming the surface. The sources note that linen is a common support for oil painting (Source 3).
underdrawing
The sources do not specify Farquharson’s underdrawing method. However, general practice for realism often involves a preliminary sketch. If following the grisaille method described in Source 1, the underdrawing might be integrated into the monochrome underpainting phase.
underpainting
Consider using a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) technique. Source 1 describes a method where the artist mentally extracts red and yellow colors, painting the remaining tones in a monochrome layer (grisaille) which is then glazed and scumbled with color. This technique was practiced by old masters and can be applied to achieve depth and luminosity in sunset scenes (Source 1).
color palette
Yellow tones
Yellow pigments mixed with oil/varnish
Glazing and scumbling to create sunset hues; Source 1 mentions glazing with yellow tones
Red tones
Red pigments mixed with oil/varnish
Glazing and scumbling to create sunset hues; Source 1 mentions glazing with red tones
White
White pigment (historically Lead White, now Titanium/Zinc)
Tints and highlights; Source 3 notes Lead White was dominant historically
Black/Ultramarine
Black and Ultramarine
Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method mentioned in Source 1 uses black, ultramarine, and white for initial paintings, which may inform the grisaille or shadow areas
composition
Farquharson characteristically painted landscapes in Scotland, often including animals and depicting dawn or dusk (Source 5). While the specific composition of 'Yon Yellow Sunset Dying in the West' is not described, it likely features a dramatic sky and rural elements consistent with his other works. The artist often included human figures or animals in his landscapes (Source 5).
step by step
underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underpainting
step 01
Create a grisaille underpainting by mentally extracting red and yellow colors, painting the scene in monochrome tones (e.g., using black, ultramarine, and white as per Reynolds’ method mentioned in Source 1).
Tip — Ensure the grisaille is quite dry before proceeding.
Grisaille
first pass
step 02
Apply glazes of yellow and red tones over the dry grisaille. Glazing is a transparent coat of color applied with oil or a mixture of varnish and oil (Source 1).
Tip — Use oil at first, then varnish and oil mixed as mastery increases. This mimics tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing
refining
step 03
Use scumbling, a semi-opaque painting technique, to modify tones. Scumbling over a darker ground can create a grey bloom or coldness, useful for atmospheric effects (Source 1).
Tip — Be aware that scumbling over dark grounds tends to coldness, which may be desirable for certain atmospheric effects in a sunset scene.
Scumbling
step 04
Adjust colors considering simultaneous contrast. When placing colors next to each other, they will appear modified by their complements. Use this to harmonize the composition and accurately depict light modifications (Source 2).
Tip — Avoid letting the eye fatigue by frequently checking color accuracy against the model or reference, as mixed contrast can lead to inaccurate perception (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast
finishing
step 05
Mix paints with a medium of choice on the palette to achieve desired characteristics. Linseed oil is a general-purpose medium, but safflower or poppyseed oil may be used for lighter colors to prevent yellowing (Source 3).
Tip — Be cautious with linseed oil in light colors as it may yellow over time; consider alternative oils for whites and light yellows (Source 3).
Medium Mixing
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to apply transparent and semi-opaque layers of color over a monochrome underpainting to achieve luminosity and depth. This method was practiced by old masters and is described in Source 1.
Simultaneous Contrast
Understanding that adjacent colors affect each other’s appearance. This principle helps in harmonizing the composition and accurately depicting the modifications of light in the sunset scene.
Color Mixing with Complements
To darken colors without shifting hue, use complementary colors rather than black. This prevents unwanted hue shifts, such as yellows shifting toward green when mixed with black (Source 4).
common pitfalls
- →Adding black to darken colors can cause hue shifts (e.g., yellows shifting toward green). Use complementary colors to neutralize and darken instead (Source 4).
- →Scumbling over a darker ground can lead to coldness or a grey bloom, which may not be desirable if warmth is intended (Source 1).
- →Using linseed oil for light colors like white can cause yellowing over time. Consider using safflower, walnut, or poppyseed oil for these hues (Source 3).
- →Eye fatigue can lead to inaccurate color perception due to mixed contrast. Frequently check color accuracy against the model (Source 2).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of 'Yon Yellow Sunset Dying in the West' (e.g., exact composition, presence of animals or figures) are not described in the sources.
- ·Farquharson’s specific palette preferences for this particular painting are not detailed; general historical practices are inferred.
- ·The exact year of creation is not available, which limits precise contextualization of materials used.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting (grisaille), glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast in composition
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- part 4 — applied to Materials (oils, pigments) and medium mixing
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- part 6 — applied to Color mixing pitfalls and hue shifts
Wikipedia bio — Joseph Farquharson↗
- part 1 — applied to Artist’s general style, subjects, and period context
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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