plate no. 9846

Favelas

Candido Portinari, 1930

oilExpressionismcityscapecityscapebuildingsfiguresshacksmoonsky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting architectural forms with simplified shapes and rendering figures in a stylized manner. It also provides practice in creating a cohesive color scheme with limited hues.

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 of the buildings, figures, and landscape, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and the background mountains.
step 03
Begin defining the individual buildings and shacks, using a variety of grays and blues.
step 04
Add details to the figures, using simplified shapes and colors.
step 05
Create texture on the buildings and roofs with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the details of the figures and add highlights and shadows.
step 07
Add the moon and any other small details.
step 08
Review the painting and make any necessary adjustments.

color palette

primary · gray · blue-gray · white

secondary · ochre · brown · teal

Mix various shades of gray by combining white with small amounts of black, blue, and brown. Use ochre and brown sparingly to add warmth to certain areas.

techniques