Artists & Illustrators - UK (2019-12)

52 Artists&Illustrators

SELWYNLEAMYshowsyouhowto

emulatetheFrenchmaster’stechniques

anddescribeformswithyour

brushworkin thissimpledemonstration

T

hispaintingofa tree-linedavenue
atPaulCézanne’sfamilyestate
perfectlycapturesthefeelingofa
hot,sunnyafternoon.Heslightlycompresses
thespaceinTheAvenueattheJasde
Bouffan, particularlythegrassesandthe
shadowsintheforeground,whichseem
quiteflat.Concentratingonthetreeatthe
leftofthecanvas,wecanseehisskillat
creatinga tangiblesenseofthree-

dimensionalform.Thebrightfoliage

shimmersagainsttheblacksilhouetteofthe

trees,asthesun-bakedpathdisappears

undertheshadycanopy.

A largeswatheofshadowdominatesthe

image,andfromthisCézannebuildsthe

structureofthefoliageandtrunkswiththick,

slab-likeblocksofcolour.These

brushstrokesstandoutagainstthedark

paint,butmovingacrosstheimage,they

subtlyblendanddisappearintothe

backgroundbeyond.

Cézanneusedheavy,diagonalstrokesto

createtheclumpsoftheleaves.Thetrunk

wasdescribedwitha moreverticalstroke,

thelighterred-brownpaintworkingin

contrasttotheblueshadow.Inthispainting,

Cézanneuseda paletteknifeaswellasa

brushtoapplypaintthickly,addingtothe

overallformandtextureofthepiece.

Cézanne’s

Trees

DEMO

Paul Cézanne,

The Avenue at the Jas de

Bouffan, c.1874-’75, oil

on canvas, 38.1x46cm

© TATE, LONDON 2019/SELWYN LEAMY