plate no. 0556

Russian ballet (Pavlova and Nijinsky in “Pavillon d'Armide”)

Serge Sudeikin, 1907

oil, panelPost-Impressionismgenre paintingballetfiguresarchitecturetreesperformancecrowd

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing movement and gesture, as well as creating depth through atmospheric perspective and loose brushwork. It also provides practice in painting figures in a crowd.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the building, trees, and general placement of the figures.
step 02
Establish the basic color blocks for the background: sky, building, and foliage.
step 03
Block in the general tones for the ground and the crowd, focusing on overall values rather than details.
step 04
Start defining the main figures, particularly the ballerina in the foreground, paying attention to gesture and pose.
step 05
Add details to the building, using short, broken brushstrokes to suggest texture and form.
step 06
Develop the crowd by adding hints of individual figures and costumes, without over-defining them.
step 07
Refine the ballerina, adding highlights and shadows to create form and movement.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values to create a sense of atmosphere and depth.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · titanium white · viridian green

secondary · alizarin crimson · raw umber · ultramarine blue

Mix ochre and white for the building, adding touches of raw umber for shadows. Use viridian green and ultramarine blue for the foliage, and alizarin crimson mixed with white for the ballerina's tutu.

techniques