plate no. 7098

From My Diary

Jindrich Styrsky, 1933

oilSurrealismlandscapeskyarchitecturesculpturelandscapecatpainting

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, creating textures with brushstrokes, and understanding surrealist composition. It also provides practice in rendering draped fabric and geometric forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the horizon line, the shapes of the orange forms, the building, the draped figure, and the hanging objects.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, using short, broken brushstrokes to create a cloud-like texture.
step 03
Paint the orange forms with a base coat of orange, then add highlights and shadows to create depth and volume.
step 04
Define the building and the painting within it, paying attention to the geometric shapes and color contrasts.
step 05
Render the draped figure with careful attention to the folds and shadows, using a range of grays and whites.
step 06
Paint the hanging objects, including the fragmented face, with attention to their textures and details.
step 07
Add the black lines that intersect the sky, ensuring they are straight and crisp.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to match the original painting.

color palette

primary · light blue · orange · gray · white

secondary · black · yellow · red · green

Mix various shades of blue by adding white or a touch of gray to the base blue. Achieve the orange by mixing red and yellow, and adjust the tone with white or brown. Create the grays by mixing black and white, and add hints of blue or brown for warmth or coolness.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·glazing
·rendering
·geometric abstraction

common pitfalls

→Overworking the sky, resulting in a flat, lifeless texture.
→Failing to create a convincing sense of depth and volume in the orange forms and draped figure.
→Inaccurately rendering the geometric shapes and colors in the painting within the building.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the draped fabric, resulting in a monotonous gray tone.