plate no. 9107

Street in Boulaq near Cairo

oilRealismcityscapebuildingsfiguresstreetarchitectureshadowsmarket

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in perspective, rendering architectural details, and capturing the effects of light and shadow. It also provides practice in painting figures in a realistic style.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a rough sketch to establish the basic composition and perspective of the buildings.
step 02
Block in the main shapes of the buildings and figures with thin washes of color.
step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns, paying attention to the direction of the light source.
step 04
Begin adding details to the buildings, such as windows, doors, and architectural ornaments.
step 05
Refine the figures, adding details to their clothing and faces.
step 06
Add the awning and other details that hang in the street.
step 07
Adjust the colors and values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · ivory black

Mix burnt umber and raw sienna with white for the warm tones of the buildings. Use ultramarine blue and white for the sky. Add small amounts of black to darken shadows.

techniques

·layering
·glazing
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, which can make the buildings look distorted.
→Overworking the details, which can make the painting look stiff and unnatural.
→Failing to capture the effects of light and shadow, which can make the painting look flat.
→Not using enough variation in color and value, which can make the painting look monotonous.