plate no. 4888

Administering Justice in Kievan Rus

Ivan Bilibin, 1907

oilArt Nouveau (Modern)history paintingfiguresarchitecturefirehistorical scenecourtyardsmoke

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in a crowd and understanding how to create a sense of depth through layering and color variation. It will also provide practice in painting architectural details and rendering the effects of light and shadow.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the buildings, figures, and the fire.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, starting with the sky, ground, and buildings.
step 03
Add details to the architecture, including the windows, roofs, and decorative elements.
step 04
Begin painting the figures, starting with the background figures and working towards the foreground.
step 05
Pay attention to the clothing and armor details, using small brushes and careful strokes.
step 06
Render the fire and smoke, using a combination of yellows, oranges, reds, and whites.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the figures and architecture.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and adjust colors as needed.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · Prussian blue

secondary · cadmium red · titanium white · sap green

Mix various shades of brown and green for the ground and buildings. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights. Mix red and yellow for the fire.

techniques