plate no. 8194
Athens of '59
Spyros Vassiliou, 1977
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex scenes into geometric shapes and understanding atmospheric perspective. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve muted and harmonious tones.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
4
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the mountain, the buildings, and the rooftop in the foreground.
- step 02
Block in the large areas of color: gold sky, mountain, and general tones for the buildings.
- step 03
Start defining the shapes of the buildings with more precise lines and color variations.
- step 04
Add details to the rooftops, including the tiles and any visible objects like the clothesline.
- step 05
Paint the distant city, using small strokes to suggest the multitude of buildings.
- step 06
Refine the mountain's form with subtle shading and highlights.
- step 07
Add the sun as a simple circle of light.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create depth and dimension.
color palette
primary · gold · grey · brown · white
secondary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre
Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors (e.g., brown and blue) with white. The gold sky can be created with yellow ochre and a touch of brown, possibly with metallic gold paint for added effect.
techniques
- ·blocking in
- ·geometric simplification
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·color mixing
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Getting lost in the details too early.
- →Not simplifying the complex shapes of the buildings.
- →Using colors that are too bright or saturated.
- →Ignoring the subtle value changes that create depth.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·Stretched canvas
- ·Acrylic or oil paints
- ·Round and flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·Palette
- ·Palette knife
- ·Odorless mineral spirits or water (depending on paint type)
- ·Rags or paper towels
optional
- ·Metallic gold paint
- ·Medium (for oil paints)
- ·Easel
Consider using a toned canvas to help establish the muted color palette from the start.
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