plate no. 3227
HORSES AT SAKHIR MOSQUE
Rashid Al Khalifa, 1968
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in creating atmospheric perspective and using a limited color palette to convey a sense of place. It also provides practice in depicting animal forms in a simplified manner.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the mosque, the horizon line, and the horses.
- step 02
Block in the sky with a thin, diluted wash of beige or light brown.
- step 03
Establish the basic tones of the landscape, using a mix of browns, ochres, and whites.
- step 04
Paint the mosque, focusing on its structure and the shadows that define its form.
- step 05
Add the horses, paying attention to their proportions and posture.
- step 06
Develop the foreground with visible brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
- step 07
Add details like the palm trees and the figure in the distance.
- step 08
Refine the overall composition, adjusting values and colors as needed.
color palette
primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue
Mix browns with white for lighter tones in the sky and sand. Add a touch of blue to the brown for cooler shadows.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·atmospheric perspective
- ·scumbling
- ·limited palette
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details, losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Making the colors too saturated, disrupting the muted atmosphere.
- →Incorrect proportions of the horses.
- →Ignoring the subtle value shifts in the sky and landscape.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes
- ·linseed oil
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a canvas with a slightly textured surface to enhance the dry brush effect.
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