plate no. 8966
Novgorod Kremlin (Detinets)
Pyotr Konchalovsky, 1925
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, and in simplifying complex architectural forms into basic shapes. It also provides practice in depicting reflections in water and capturing the atmosphere of a landscape.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the fortress, river, and boats, paying attention to perspective.
- step 02
Block in the sky with light blue, adding hints of white for clouds.
- step 03
Apply a base layer of color to the fortress walls using a mix of red, orange, and yellow.
- step 04
Paint the green areas of the landscape, varying the shades to create depth.
- step 05
Block in the water with blues and greens, considering reflections.
- step 06
Add details to the boats and figures, using darker tones for shadows.
- step 07
Refine the details of the fortress, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
- step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the entire painting.
color palette
primary · cerulean blue · cadmium red · yellow ochre
secondary · viridian green · burnt umber
Mix different shades of green by combining blue and yellow. Create variations in the fortress walls by mixing red with orange and yellow ochre. Use white to lighten colors for highlights and the sky.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·wet-on-dry
- ·Impasto
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details of the fortress, losing the overall impression.
- →Making the colors too uniform, lacking depth and variation.
- →Ignoring the reflections in the water, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Not establishing a clear light source, leading to inconsistent shadows.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 12x16
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (#2, #6)
- ·flat brush (#8)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·varnish
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Acrylic paints will dry faster, while oil paints allow for more blending time.
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