plate no. 9159

A street in Cairo

Ivan Bilibin, 1921

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)cityscapecityscapebuildingsminaretstreetfiguressky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for atmospheric effects, and rendering architectural details with simplified forms. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and light using subtle value changes.

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 of the buildings and the minaret, paying attention to perspective.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and vanishing points to guide the perspective.
step 03
Apply a light wash of diluted yellow ochre to the buildings as a base layer.
step 04
Mix a pale blue for the sky and apply a thin wash, allowing it to blend slightly with the buildings.
step 05
Add shadows to the buildings using a mix of burnt umber and ultramarine blue, varying the intensity to create depth.
step 06
Paint the details of the windows and doors with darker shades of the shadow color.
step 07
Add the figures in the street with simple shapes and minimal detail.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a cohesive and atmospheric effect.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber

secondary · titanium white · raw sienna

Mix yellow ochre with white for lighter building surfaces. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber in varying ratios to create cool grays and shadows. Add a touch of raw sienna to warm up the yellow ochre.

techniques