plate no. 6311

My Room Has Two Doors

Kay Sage, 1939

oilSurrealismcityscapearchitectureeggstairsshadowsdoorwaysky

some experience helpful

This painting is a good exercise in understanding light and shadow, as well as creating a sense of depth through linear perspective. Students can practice blending techniques to create smooth gradients on the egg and architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the perspective of the stairs and the placement of the wall and egg.
step 02
Block in the large shapes of color: the sky, the wall, the ground, and the egg.
step 03
Begin to define the shadows on the wall, stairs, and ground, using a darker value of the base color.
step 04
Carefully blend the shadows on the egg to create a smooth, rounded form.
step 05
Add the details of the doorway and the distant horizon line.
step 06
Refine the edges of the shapes and shadows to create a crisp, clean look.
step 07
Add highlights to the egg and wall to enhance the sense of light.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a balanced composition.

color palette

primary · titanium white · payne's gray · raw umber

secondary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

Mix different values of gray by combining white and Payne's gray. Add small amounts of raw umber to warm the grays. Use yellow ochre for the light inside the doorway.

techniques