plate no. 3530

Scáfani, sicilie

M.C. Escher, 1933

oilSurrealismlandscapelandscapemountainsbuildingstreesvillagesky

some experience helpful

Recreating this image will help students understand value relationships and how to create depth using hatching and cross-hatching techniques. It will also improve their ability to simplify complex forms into basic shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains, buildings, and trees, paying attention to the overall composition.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the main lines of perspective.
step 03
Begin adding the darkest areas using solid black, defining the shadows and the overall form.
step 04
Use hatching (parallel lines) to create mid-tones, varying the spacing between lines to control the value.
step 05
Use cross-hatching (intersecting lines) to build up darker values in areas that need more depth.
step 06
Pay close attention to the direction of the lines to suggest the form and texture of the landscape.
step 07
Add details such as the windows in the buildings and the texture of the rocks.
step 08
Refine the linework and adjust the values as needed to achieve the desired effect.