plate no. 7865

Baku

oil, canvasRealismcityscapecityscapearchitecturefiguresstreettowerbuildings

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, color mixing for light and shadow, and capturing the texture of buildings and surfaces with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in depicting figures within a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and tower.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin layer of blue, allowing some variation in tone.
step 03
Establish the basic color and value of the tower and buildings, focusing on the light and shadow areas.
step 04
Add details to the architecture, such as windows, arches, and decorative elements.
step 05
Paint the figures in the scene, paying attention to their proportions and placement.
step 06
Add details to the foreground elements, such as the stacked materials and market goods.
step 07
Refine the brushwork and color variations to create texture and depth.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall realism.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · raw sienna · cadmium yellow

Mix yellow ochre and white for the sunlit buildings. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky, adding a touch of yellow ochre near the horizon. Burnt umber and raw sienna are used for shadows and details in the buildings and ground.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective
·alla prima
·linear perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to establish a strong sense of light and shadow.
→Incorrect perspective, leading to a distorted composition.
→Using colors that are too saturated, resulting in an unrealistic appearance.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, raw sienna, cadmium yellow)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits