plate no. 3120

Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives

oilLuminismlandscapelandscapecityscapeskycloudstreesfigures

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and creating depth through layering of tones and details. It will also help practice blending techniques to achieve soft transitions in the sky and distant landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the horizon line and the placement of key elements like the city, trees, and figures.
step 02
Establish the sky with broad washes of color, blending light and dark tones to create the cloud formations.
step 03
Block in the distant landscape with muted greens and browns, paying attention to atmospheric perspective by making distant areas lighter and less detailed.
step 04
Paint the city in the mid-ground, using a slightly warmer palette and adding more detail to suggest buildings and structures.
step 05
Develop the foreground with darker greens and browns, adding details to the trees, rocks, and figures.
step 06
Refine the lighting throughout the painting, adding highlights to the city and foreground elements to create a sense of depth and dimension.
step 07
Add final details, such as small figures and subtle variations in color and texture, to enhance the realism of the scene.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers of color to unify the painting and create a luminous effect.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · Prussian blue

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · sap green

Mix muted greens by combining yellow ochre, Prussian blue, and raw umber. Achieve atmospheric perspective by adding white to colors for distant elements.

techniques

·atmospheric perspective
·glazing
·blending
·layering
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details in the distant landscape, which can flatten the image.
→Using colors that are too saturated, which can detract from the overall sense of atmosphere.
→Failing to establish a clear focal point, which can make the painting feel disorganized.
→Not paying attention to value contrast, which can result in a flat and lifeless image.