plate no. 0188

Young Herdsmen with Cows

oilBaroquelandscapelandscapecowsfiguresskyhillsfoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering realistic animal forms. It also provides practice in creating subtle color gradations to depict light and shadow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a basic sketch outlining the horizon line, major landforms, and placement of the cows and figures.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue-gray wash, paying attention to the cloud formations.
step 03
Establish the base tones for the distant hills, using muted greens and browns.
step 04
Begin layering in the foreground, starting with the darker shadows and gradually adding highlights.
step 05
Paint the cows, focusing on their anatomy and the way light interacts with their fur.
step 06
Add the figures, simplifying their forms and using a limited color palette.
step 07
Refine the details in the foreground foliage and add any final highlights.
step 08
Glaze the entire painting to unify the colors and create a sense of atmosphere.

color palette

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

secondary · raw sienna · ivory black · cadmium yellow light

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining the primary colors. Use white to lighten the colors and create highlights, and black to darken them for shadows. Achieve the atmospheric perspective by adding more blue to the colors of distant objects.

techniques