plate no. 4360

Casi Plantas

Xul Solar, 1948

oilSurrealismsymbolic paintingfigurescylindersmoonlandscapesurrealabstract

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating form with value and understanding how to create a surreal composition. It also provides practice in rendering cylindrical shapes and creating a sense of depth through layering.

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 and placement of the cylindrical figures and the moons.
step 02
Establish the darkest areas of the background with a thin wash of dark gray.
step 03
Begin layering values on the cylindrical figures, using lighter grays for highlights and darker grays for shadows.
step 04
Pay close attention to the direction of light to create the illusion of form.
step 05
Add the details of the faces and hands, using fine lines and subtle shading.
step 06
Refine the background, adding subtle variations in tone to create depth.
step 07
Carefully define the edges of the figures to separate them from the background.
step 08
Add final highlights to the moons and figures to enhance the sense of light.

color palette

primary · gray · white · black

secondary · light gray · dark gray

Achieve different shades of gray by mixing black and white in varying proportions. Use thin washes for the background and build up layers for the figures.

techniques