plate no. 5302

God's Salon

Rene Magritte, 1948

oil, canvasSurrealismlandscapehousetreesskymoonlandscapefigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand atmospheric perspective and how to create a sense of depth using color and value. It also provides practice in rendering different textures, like foliage and brick.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the house, trees, and horizon line.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, the house, the trees, and the ground.
step 03
Begin to refine the colors in the sky, creating the dark, moody atmosphere and adding the moon.
step 04
Develop the colors and textures of the trees, paying attention to the variations in light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the house, including the windows, doors, and roof.
step 06
Refine the ground, adding subtle variations in color and texture.
step 07
Add the figure in front of the house.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · cadmium red · sap green · purple

Achieve the dark sky by mixing ultramarine blue and burnt umber. Mix yellow ochre and white for the house, adding touches of burnt umber for shadows. Use sap green mixed with yellow ochre and white for the foliage, and cadmium red for the red tree.

techniques

·color mixing
·atmospheric perspective
·layering
·dry brushing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Making the sky too light.
→Over-blending the colors, resulting in a flat, lifeless appearance.
→Not paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
→Ignoring the atmospheric perspective, making the distant objects too sharp and detailed.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, burnt umber, yellow ochre, titanium white, cadmium red, sap green)
·palette
·palette knife
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·mineral spirits
·rags