plate no. 3994

Domes and swallows. Assumption Cathedral of the Trinity Sergius Lavra

Konstantin Yuon, 1921

oil, canvasRealismcityscapedomesarchitecturecityscapeskybirdslandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering metallic surfaces with light and shadow, and in creating atmospheric perspective to depict depth in a landscape. It also provides practice in painting architectural details and capturing the texture of different surfaces.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the domes and buildings, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, adding subtle variations in tone to suggest clouds.
step 03
Establish the base colors for the domes and buildings, using a light gray for the white domes and varying shades of green for the roofs.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the golden dome, using yellows, oranges, and browns to create the illusion of reflected light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows and architectural features, using a fine brush.
step 06
Paint the landscape in the background, using lighter and cooler colors to create atmospheric perspective.
step 07
Add the birds in the sky using small, dark brushstrokes.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve a cohesive and realistic representation.

color palette

primary · sky blue · gold · white · green

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · gray · red

The golden dome requires mixing yellows, oranges, and browns to capture the metallic sheen. The sky is achieved through subtle blending of blues and whites. Greens are created by mixing blues and yellows, with touches of brown for variation.

techniques

·layering
·blending
·atmospheric perspective
·rendering metallic surfaces
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the background, which can flatten the perspective.
→Failing to capture the subtle variations in color and tone on the golden dome.
→Using too much detail in the distant landscape.
→Not establishing a strong value structure early on.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas (18x24 inches)
·Oil paints (sky blue, gold, white, green, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, gray, red)
·Assorted brushes (round, flat, detail)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Rags