plate no. 5503

Marrakech. View from the terrace at the Atlas Mountains

Zinaida Serebriakova, 1928

oilExpressionismcityscapecityscapemountainsbuildingsskytreesarchitecture

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in atmospheric perspective and rendering complex shapes with simplified values. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth and distance using color and value variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and mountains.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted ochre or raw sienna to the entire paper for a warm undertone.
step 03
Begin painting the sky with a diluted mix of grey and a touch of blue, allowing it to blend softly.
step 04
Paint the distant mountains with a light grey-blue wash, adding darker values to suggest shadows and depth.
step 05
Start layering in the buildings, using varying shades of ochre, burnt sienna, and umber to define shapes and shadows.
step 06
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and roof textures, using a fine brush.
step 07
Paint the trees with a mix of green and brown, varying the values to create depth.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to bring the painting to life.

color palette

primary · raw sienna · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · payne's gray

Mix raw sienna and burnt umber for the building tones. Use white to lighten values and blue/grey to create atmospheric perspective in the mountains and sky.

techniques