plate no. 0197

1st of May

Mikhail Olennikov, 1964

oil, canvasRealismhistory paintingcityscapecrowdbuildingsflagsfiguresurban

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting crowds and creating a sense of depth through color and brushstroke variation. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of a scene with loose, expressive brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the overall composition, focusing on perspective.
step 02
Establish the sky and ground with broad, light washes of color.
step 03
Block in the general areas of the buildings using simplified shapes and colors.
step 04
Start adding the figures in the crowd, using small, individual brushstrokes to represent each person.
step 05
Introduce the red flags, paying attention to their placement and perspective.
step 06
Refine the details of the buildings, adding windows and architectural features with small brushstrokes.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Review the painting and make any necessary adjustments to color, value, and composition.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium red · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · viridian

Mix various shades of gray and beige by combining white, blue, and umber. Use red mixed with white for the flags and building accents. Create greens by mixing blue and yellow.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·alla prima
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Making the figures too uniform and lacking individuality.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.
→Using colors that are too saturated and not harmonizing with the overall palette.