plate no. 8469

Single Houses

Egon Schiele, 1915

oil, canvasArt Nouveau (Modern)cityscapebuildingshousestreesskycityscapelandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in simplifying complex forms and using expressive line work to define shapes. It also provides practice in creating a muted, harmonious color palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and trees, focusing on their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the general areas of the sky, water, and ground.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the buildings, trees, and sky using thin washes of paint.
step 04
Add darker tones to create shadows and define the forms of the buildings and trees.
step 05
Introduce the accent colors, such as the red on the buildings and the green in the landscape.
step 06
Use a fine brush or pen to add the linear details, such as the window frames and the branches of the trees.
step 07
Refine the colors and values, adjusting the tones to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ochre · raw umber · gray · white

secondary · red · green · brown

Mix ochre and raw umber with white to create the various shades of beige and gray used in the buildings and sky. Use small amounts of red and green to create accent colors.

techniques

·dry brushing
·scumbling
·color mixing
·linear perspective
·expressive linework

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall simplicity of the composition.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated, which will detract from the muted atmosphere.
→Failing to establish a clear sense of depth and perspective.
→Making the linework too uniform and losing the expressive quality.