plate no. 9950

A house in Kaunas

Mstislav Dobuzhinsky, 1930

oil, canvasSymbolismcityscapebuildingshousescityscapeskylaundrywood

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective drawing and rendering textures of wood and fabric with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and atmosphere using color and value.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the vanishing points.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and the general tones of the buildings.
step 04
Add details to the buildings, focusing on the texture of the wood and the placement of windows and doors.
step 05
Paint the laundry line, paying attention to the folds and shadows in the fabric.
step 06
Refine the details and add highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 07
Add final touches to the sky and the ground.
step 08
Step back and make any necessary adjustments to the composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · payne's gray

Mix raw umber and white for the weathered wood tones, adding small amounts of blue or sienna to adjust the color temperature. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, with touches of yellow ochre for the sunset glow.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·scumbling
·broken color
·linear perspective

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, which can make the buildings look distorted.
→Overblending the colors, which can result in a muddy appearance.
→Ignoring the subtle variations in color and value, which can make the painting look flat.
→Not paying enough attention to the details, which can make the painting look unfinished.