plate no. 1575

The mysterious barricades

Rene Magritte, 1961

oil, canvasSurrealismlandscapetreeshouseskywaterfigurelandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and mastering the depiction of light and shadow in a surreal landscape. Students will also practice painting realistic textures with a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the placement of the trees, house, and water.
step 02
Block in the sky with light blue and white, creating subtle cloud variations.
step 03
Paint the house with a base of gray-blue, adding darker tones for shadows and lighter tones for highlights.
step 04
Create the tree trunks and branches with dark brown and black, paying attention to their shapes and spacing.
step 05
Fill in the leaves of the central tree with a mix of dark greens and blacks, using small, repetitive brushstrokes.
step 06
Paint the leaf-shaped trees with flat, dark colors, adding subtle variations in tone.
step 07
Add the water with dark blues and grays, reflecting the colors of the sky and trees.
step 08
Include the figure on horseback and the light emanating from the windows as final details.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · ivory black

secondary · burnt umber · yellow ochre

Mix ultramarine blue and titanium white for the sky. Combine ivory black and burnt umber for the dark tones of the trees and ground. Add yellow ochre to white for the window lights.

techniques