plate no. 3982

The Mosque of Emir Mindar in Cairo

John Varley II, 1880

oilRealismcityscapebuildingsstreetfiguresarchitecturecityscapeminaret

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and perspective lines of the buildings and minaret.
step 02
Block in the sky with a thin wash of blue, fading towards the horizon.
step 03
Establish the basic values of the buildings using a limited palette of browns, creams, and grays.
step 04
Paint the figures in the street with simplified shapes and values, focusing on their placement and interaction.
step 05
Add details to the buildings, such as windows, balconies, and architectural ornaments.
step 06
Refine the light and shadow, paying attention to the direction and intensity of the sunlight.
step 07
Add final details to the figures and street scene, such as clothing folds and ground textures.
step 08
Glaze with thin washes to unify the colors and create atmospheric perspective.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cerulean blue

secondary · burnt sienna · yellow ochre · ivory black

Achieve the warm tones of the buildings by mixing raw umber, burnt sienna, and yellow ochre with varying amounts of white. Use cerulean blue mixed with white for the sky, and add a touch of raw umber to dull the blue near the horizon.

techniques

·linear perspective
·atmospheric perspective
·dry brushing
·glazing
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Getting the perspective wrong, resulting in distorted buildings.
→Overworking the details and losing the overall impression.
→Using colors that are too saturated and unnatural.
→Ignoring the importance of light and shadow in creating depth.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 18x24
·oil paints (raw umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, titanium white, cerulean blue, ivory black)
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·linseed oil
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags