plate no. 0710

Muley Abd-ar-Rhaman, The Sultan of Morocco, leaving his Palace of Meknes with his entourage

oil, canvasOrientalismhistory paintingfigureshorsearchitectureskyprocessionMorocco

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in a crowd and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective and color variation. It will also improve their ability to render textures of fabrics and stone.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the main figures and the architectural elements.
step 02
Establish the sky and the general ground color, creating a gradient to suggest depth.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the buildings and the figures, using simplified color masses.
step 04
Begin refining the details of the Sultan and his horse, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 05
Add details to the surrounding figures, gradually reducing the level of detail as they recede into the background.
step 06
Work on the textures of the fabrics and the stone walls, using varied brushstrokes.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume and form.
step 08
Refine the overall composition and add final details.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · raw sienna · ivory black · cadmium red light

Mix various shades of ochre and umber for the buildings and figures' clothing. Use ultramarine blue with white and a touch of ochre for the sky. Create grays by mixing black and white with small amounts of other colors.

techniques