plate no. 2353

City on the Mountain (Stadt auf dem Berge)

Lyonel Feininger, 1918

oilExpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingsarchitecturemountainskygeometric shapes

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to simplify complex scenes into basic shapes and use negative space to create interesting compositions. It also provides practice in creating strong value contrasts.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and mountain, focusing on overall composition.
step 02
Define the main areas of black and white, simplifying details.
step 03
Start filling in the large black areas, maintaining clean edges.
step 04
Add the smaller details within the buildings, paying attention to the negative space.
step 05
Create the sky with simple lines and shapes.
step 06
Refine the edges and shapes to match the original.
step 07
Add any final details or corrections.

color palette

primary · black · white

secondary ·

This painting uses only black and white, so no color mixing is required.

techniques

·negative space
·simplification
·geometric abstraction
·hard edges

common pitfalls

→Overcomplicating the shapes and details.
→Not paying attention to the negative space.
→Creating muddy or uneven black areas.
→Losing the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas or heavy paper

required

·canvas or paper
·black acrylic or oil paint
·white acrylic or oil paint
·variety of brushes (small and medium)
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·ruler
·masking tape

Use a smooth surface to achieve clean lines. Acrylic paint is faster drying and easier to clean up, while oil paint allows for more blending and subtle variations.

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