plate no. 1321

Jimmy Carter

oilSurrealismportraitportraitcityscapelandscapeskybuildingswater

advanced study

Recreating this painting would develop skills in detailed rendering, perspective, and complex composition. Students would also learn to blend realistic and surreal elements.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 40 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a preliminary sketch outlining the basic shapes of the portrait and cityscape.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and basic perspective of the buildings and landscape.
step 03
Block in the main color areas for the sky, water, and distant mountains.
step 04
Begin adding details to the buildings, focusing on accurate perspective and architectural elements.
step 05
Start rendering the facial features of the portrait, paying attention to value contrasts.
step 06
Refine the details of the landscape, including trees, fields, and roads.
step 07
Add the smaller details like flags, boats, and figures to enhance the complexity.
step 08
Apply final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · sky blue · grey · brown · white

secondary · green · yellow · red · orange

Achieve the sky colors by mixing blues and whites with small amounts of yellow and grey. Create realistic building colors by mixing greys, browns, and whites.

techniques