plate no. 5151

Aparell de fisica desconeguda

Angel Planells, 1977

oilSurrealismsymbolic paintingskycloudsseafigurearchitecturelandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, especially for achieving realistic sky and cloud effects, and in rendering complex shapes with subtle shading.

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 major elements.
step 02
Block in the sky and sea with broad strokes, establishing the overall color and value.
step 03
Roughly define the shapes of the clouds, paying attention to their form and volume.
step 04
Begin to refine the shapes of the landforms, including the cliffs and beach.
step 05
Add details to the architectural elements, such as the stone wall and the painting within it.
step 06
Paint the figures and the surreal objects, focusing on accurate proportions and shading.
step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust colors as needed to achieve a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian

Mix blues and whites for the sky, varying the proportions to create subtle gradations. Use raw umber and yellow ochre for the sand, and mix greens from blue and yellow for the surreal objects.

techniques