plate no. 9878

Targets Revisited

Samuel Bak, 1996

oilSurrealismlandscapelandscaperuinsfiguresskyarchitecturemountains

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in complex composition, layering, and creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective and color variation. It also encourages experimentation with texture and expressive brushwork.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch outlining the major shapes and perspective lines of the ruins and landscape.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the basic shapes of the mountains and sky.
step 03
Block in the main color areas for the sky, distant landscape, and foreground ruins using thin washes.
step 04
Start layering in details, focusing on the architecture and the figures within the ruins.
step 05
Develop the textures of the stone and debris using thicker paint and varied brushstrokes.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 07
Refine the details of the figures and the surrounding objects, adding subtle color variations.
step 08
Apply final glazes to unify the painting and enhance the atmospheric perspective.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cerulean blue

secondary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · payne's gray

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and using white to create subtle variations. Use thin washes of color for the distant landscape and thicker paint for the foreground details.

techniques