plate no. 0486

Ketshin, Poland

Petros Malayan, 1991

oilExpressionismcityscapebuildingstowerscityscapearchitectureroofssky

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses Petros Malayan’s 1991 oil painting 'Ketshin, Poland,' a work classified within the Expressionist style and the cityscape genre. While specific visual details of this particular canvas are not described in the provided sources, the artwork belongs to the tradition of depicting urban landscapes, which often serve as topographical views or artistic interpretations of city environments (Source 4). The artist’s practice, inferred from the medium and style, likely involves the expressive manipulation of color and form rather than strict photorealism, consistent with Expressionist conventions. The technical approach recommended for this recreation draws heavily from traditional oil painting methods involving monochrome underpainting and subsequent glazing. This method, historically practiced by old masters and cited by Sir Joshua Reynolds, involves establishing a tonal foundation before applying transparent color layers (Source 1). This technique allows for the modulation of light and color intensity, addressing the 'law of simultaneous contrast' where juxtaposed colors influence one another’s perception (Source 6). The composition should adhere to general principles of visual ordering, ensuring a clear center of interest and avoiding exact bisections of space to maintain dynamic balance (Source 8).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying times between glaze layers)

materials

5 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, Black, White, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Cadmium Red/Yellow)	Primary pigments for underpainting and glazing	—
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings as per Reynolds' method	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow	Dammar varnish or synthetic resin varnish
Canvas or prepared panel	Support for the oil painting	—
Soft charcoal or graphite	Underdrawing	—

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a standard oil ground. While the sources do not specify Malayan’s exact ground, traditional oil painting practice often utilizes a white or neutral ground to facilitate the grisaille underpainting method described in Source 1. Ensure the surface is smooth enough for fine glazing but textured enough to hold the expressive brushwork typical of Expressionism.

underdrawing

Create a loose underdrawing to establish the cityscape’s structural elements. Since Expressionism prioritizes emotional impact over precise topographical accuracy, the drawing should focus on the major masses and lines rather than intricate details. Avoid rigid outlines that might constrain the subsequent expressive application of paint (Source 5).

underpainting

Execute a grisaille (monochrome) underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (Source 1). This stage establishes the value structure of the cityscape. Mentally extract the red and yellow colors, translating what would remain in nature if these hues were absent (Source 1). This creates a tonal foundation that will interact with the subsequent color glazes.

color palette

Ultramarine/Black/White

Ultramarine blue, Ivory black, Titanium white

Grisaille underpainting to establish values and forms (Source 1)

Yellow Tones

Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow

Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and light, particularly in sky or illuminated building facades (Source 1)

Red Tones

Red Ochre, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson

Glazing and scumbling to add depth and warmth, contrasting with the cooler grisaille base (Source 1)

Grey Bloom

Scumbled semi-opaque grey over darker ground

Creating atmospheric effects and coldness in shadows or distant structures (Source 1)

composition

As a cityscape, the composition should likely feature a horizon line that does not bisect the canvas equally, instead emphasizing either the sky or the ground to create visual interest (Source 8). Ensure there is a clear center of interest to prevent the image from becoming a mere pattern (Source 8). Use detailed areas contrasted with 'rest' areas to guide the viewer’s eye through the urban environment (Source 8). Avoid placing the prominent subject exactly in the center unless a formal symmetry is intended (Source 8).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic forms of the cityscape, focusing on major architectural masses and the horizon line.
Tip — Avoid over-defining outlines; keep the drawing flexible for expressive painting.
Loose underdrawing

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Establish the full range of values from dark shadows to bright highlights.
Tip — Mentally exclude red and yellow hues to focus purely on tonal structure (Source 1).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent coats of yellow and red tones using oil as a medium.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent layers to allow the underlying monochrome to show through, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 1).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Introduce scumbling techniques, applying semi-opaque paint over darker areas to create coldness or grey blooms.
Tip — Use this to adjust atmospheric perspective and cool down specific areas of the cityscape (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
As mastery increases, mix varnish with oil for subsequent glazes to enhance transparency and depth.
Tip — Ensure each layer is dry before applying the next to prevent muddiness.
Varnish glazing
step 06
Review the composition for contrast and balance. Ensure small, high-contrast elements provide sufficient impact against larger, duller areas.
Tip — Check that the viewer’s eye is led around the elements before exiting the picture (Source 8).
Compositional balance

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry monochrome underpainting to build up luminosity and depth. This method was established by Sir Joshua Reynolds and used by old masters (Source 1).

Scumbling

Applying semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create coldness or grey blooms, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Understanding that juxtaposed colors influence each other; placing flat tints of different tones next to each other produces chiaroscuro effects and gradations of light (Source 6).

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to muddying of the tones (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied down to the initial outline, which restricts the expressive potential of the paint (Source 5).
→Bisecting the picture space exactly, which can result in a static and uninteresting composition (Source 8).
→Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, leading to colors that appear dull or unbalanced due to poor juxtaposition (Source 6).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of 'Ketshin, Poland' (e.g., specific buildings, weather conditions, time of day) are not described in the sources, so the recreation must rely on general cityscape conventions.
·Petros Malayan’s specific personal habits or deviations from traditional oil painting techniques are not detailed in the provided biographical or technical sources.
·The exact palette used by Malayan for this specific work is unknown; the suggested palette is based on general Expressionist and traditional oil painting practices.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and rigid outlines
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Color contrast and chiaroscuro effects

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 13 — applied to Genre classification as cityscape
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- Composition (visual arts) — part 6 — applied to Compositional balance and eye movement

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

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