plate no. 4972

Genii Loci II

Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas, 1970

oilCubismlandscapefigurelandscapevillagemountainsarchitecturerocks

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in abstracting forms and using a limited color palette to create depth and texture. It also provides practice in depicting complex scenes with simplified shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main compositional elements: the figure, the village, and the surrounding landscape.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of the figure and landscape with broad strokes of color.
step 03
Begin to define the forms of the buildings and rocks using geometric shapes and planes.
step 04
Add details to the figure, focusing on the interplay of light and shadow.
step 05
Develop the texture of the landscape using visible brushstrokes and varying paint thickness.
step 06
Refine the color palette, mixing subtle variations of browns, greens, and grays.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Review and adjust the composition, ensuring a balance between abstraction and representation.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

Mix browns and grays by combining burnt umber, raw sienna, and titanium white. Add small amounts of ultramarine blue to cool the tones and yellow ochre to warm them.

techniques