Merchants. Illustration for Alexander Pushkin's 'Fairytale of the Tsar Saltan'

The composition reads as a formal audience scene: a seated ruler on the left receives standing figures in ornate robes who dominate the center and right two-thirds of the frame. Light falls from the upper left, creating warm highlights on the figures' faces and the left side of their embroidered garments, while the deep wooden interior recedes into shadow. Your eye lands first on the figure with the long white beard in the center-foreground—he's the lightest value and most centrally placed—then travels across the row of standing courtiers, each slightly overlapping the next. The orange-red floor creates a strong horizontal anchor that unifies the entire gathering.

The darkest darks are the wooden ceiling beams and deep shadow areas in the architectural recesses (upper center and right background). Mid-tones dominate: the warm browns of wood, the greens and teals of embroidered robes, and skin tones. The lightest lights are the faces, hands, and the white elements of the seated ruler's outfit on the left. When you squint, you see three clear value bands: dark architectural frame, medium-valued figures and their clothing, and the bright orange floor creating separation below.

• #a95435

  red ochre + alizarin crimson, warmed with raw sienna

  the dominant orange-red floor throughout the lower third

• #8a896a

  yellow ochre + ultramarine blue + burnt sienna

  the teal-green foundation of most robes and embroidered patterns

• #685441

  burnt sienna + raw umber + touch of ultramarine

  wooden structural elements—ceiling beams, posts, floor details

• #aeb08e

  yellow ochre + white + small amount of ultramarine

  the pale cream ornamental details and highlights on embroidery

• #453c35

  ultramarine blue + burnt umber + alizarin

  shadow recesses, deep folds in clothing, background depth

• #907153

  raw sienna + ultramarine + white

  skin tones on faces and hands, warmed further on lit sides

Edges are deliberately decorative rather than photographic: faces and hands have soft, warm edges that blend into the surrounding tones, while the ornamental embroidery patterns have crisper, more defined linear edges achieved with fine brushwork and fine liner detailing. The wooden interior uses looser, more gestural strokes for the ceiling beams, while the intricate geometric and floral patterns on robes demand controlled, deliberate linework with a very fine brush. Notice how the floor has minimal detail—it's largely flat color—which makes the ornate figures read as the true subject.

1. 01

   Establish the orange floor and architectural skeleton

   Lightly map out the horizon line where figures stand and begin with a thin wash of the orange-red floor (#a95435). Block in the major architectural elements—the wooden beams and posts—using the brown value (#685441). Don't overwork; these are foundational shapes. The floor occupies roughly the bottom third of your composition; the wooden interior takes up most of the rest.

2. 02

   Lay in the background values and depth

   Establish the deep shadow areas in the upper background (especially the recessed areas behind the standing figures on the right). Use your darkest mix (#453c35) to suggest architectural recession. Notice how the space reads deeper on the right side than the left. This creates the sense that figures are standing at different depths in the hall.

3. 03

   Block in the large robe masses with base teal-green

   Apply the dominant teal-green (#8a896a) as a base layer for all the standing figures' robes and the seated ruler's garments. Keep this layer fairly flat and uniform—the embroidered patterns will come later. Observe that every standing figure wears this color family; it's your largest color mass and anchors the composition.

4. 04

   Develop skin tones and establish light direction

   Mix your skin tone (#907153) warmer on the left-facing sides of faces and hands where light hits (especially noticeable on the central bearded figure and figures on the left). Keep the same tone cooler and slightly darker on shadowed sides. The seated ruler's face should be notably warm and well-lit; the old merchant's face in the center is the visual anchor point—make it luminous but not garish.

5. 05

   Add geometric and floral embroidery patterns to robes

   Using a fine liner or very fine round brush, begin mapping the ornamental designs visible on each robe. The patterns are consistent in structure (concentric circles, cross motifs, scrollwork) but vary in positioning and scale across figures. Work methodically left to right: start with the seated ruler's elaborate outfit, then move through each standing figure. Use the pale cream (#aeb08e) and darker accent colors. This is meditative, detailed work—the patterns differentiate each figure despite the shared base color.

6. 06

   Layer ornamental detail with refined linework

   Go deeper into the embroidery with finer lines and tighter control. Notice that some garments have warmer ochre-based patterns while others have cooler blue-based accents within the green. The dog at the seated ruler's feet and the cushions beneath deserve attention here too—they have distinct patterned surfaces. Don't make every pattern identical; allow some variation in density and line weight across different figures to avoid flatness.

7. 07

   Refine facial features, hands, and establish character

   Define eyes, beards, and hand gestures with your darkest value or a concentrated mix. The long-bearded central figure should have clear, readable features. The seated ruler's face should feel commanding. Notice subtle differences: some men have fuller beards, some faces are more angular. These small variations prevent the scene from feeling repetitive. Pay attention to where hands emerge from sleeves and gesture.

8. 08

   Adjust values and add final depth through selective darkening

   Step back and assess: figures on the right should recede slightly into cooler, darker values compared to the left-side figures. Deepen shadow areas in the wooden ceiling and background. Add warmth to the orange floor in spots where light reflects, and ensure the transition from floor to figures reads clearly. Final touch: ensure the pale cream highlights on embroidery patterns catch the light appropriately, creating surface texture without overworking.

• Treating all the embroidered patterns identically—each robed figure has subtly different ornamental designs in placement and density. Study each one individually rather than copying a template across all figures.
• Losing the warm light direction by making all skin tones uniformly tan. The seated ruler and figures on the left are warmer and more brightly lit than those receding to the right.
• Making the ornamental patterns too uniform in line weight and color; Bilibin varies fine linework and accent colors throughout, creating visual rhythm rather than mechanical repetition.
• Forgetting that the wooden interior is not flat—the ceiling beams and posts have dimensional form. Use shadow and highlight to suggest their three-dimensional structure, not just outline them.
• Overcomplicating the floor. It is largely a simple, flat orange-red shape that serves as a ground plane. Resist the urge to pattern it excessively.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility