The Streltsy Uprising

The composition depicts a violent uprising centered on a massive white building with golden domes that dominates the background, anchoring the scene in Russian Orthodox architecture. The crowd of red and brown-clad soldiers surges in the foreground, their raised arms and spears creating vertical thrusts that direct your eye upward toward the building and the central figure in bright red. Light source comes from the left side, striking the white cylindrical towers of the building and illuminating the foreground figures, creating strong warm-cool contrast between the hot reds and the cool pale blues of the architecture. The eye enters at the foreground crowd's gesturing hands and weapons, then travels back through the layered figures to the architectural focal point.

The value structure is bold and illustrative: the architectural forms read as very light (near-white) against the darker crowd. Within the crowd, you have distinct value groups—the bright reds and oranges (mid-light), the brown robes (mid-tone), and the deep purple-brown shadows and dark beards (darkest). Squint at this painting and you'll see three clear tonal zones: the pale building, the medium-value crowd, and the deep accents of shadows and dark fabric. The overall effect is high contrast, not subtle.

• #fcf6e7

  Titanium White with a touch of Raw Sienna and Ultramarine for the cool cream

  The white cylindrical towers and bright building walls—the palest elements in the entire painting

• #b6b2ac

  Titanium White with Ultramarine and a hint of Burnt Sienna

  The cool pale blue shadows on the white building towers and the sky areas

• #b8180f

  Cadmium Red Deep with Alizarin, possibly with a touch of yellow ochre for warmth

  The deep, warm red-orange robes dominating the foreground crowd

• #b9371d

  Cadmium Red Medium with Cadmium Yellow and Alizarin

  The brighter, more orange-red tunics and accents on soldiers; the variation from the deeper reds

• #916e5d

  Burnt Sienna with Alizarin and white, or Raw Sienna with Cadmium Red

  The tan and brown skin tones, the softer robes in brown, and mid-tone transitions

• #54201f

  Burnt Umber with Alizarin and Ultramarine, or Ivory Black with Alizarin

  The deepest shadows in clothing folds, the dark beards and hair, the navy-blue accents

Bilibin uses crisp, nearly hard edges throughout—this is decorative illustration, not atmospheric painting. Edges between colors are sharp and deliberate, outlines are often visible or implied. Brushwork is largely invisible; color areas are flat and bold. The technique prioritizes clarity and decorative impact over painterly subtlety, with line work playing an important structural role in defining figures and architectural elements.

1. 01

   Underdraw and establish composition

   Lightly sketch the entire scene in pencil or charcoal. Locate the white building's cylindrical towers and domes at center-back, then map the crowd's silhouette and major figures in front. Pay attention to the spacing and overlap of figures—this creates the sense of mass and crowd without rendering every individual. Get the proportions of the architecture relative to the crowd correct.

2. 02

   Block the building and sky

   Paint the white building towers and walls with a pale cream (mix Titanium White, Raw Sienna, and Ultramarine sparingly). Paint the sky a soft blue-grey. Add the cool pale blue shadows on the building's cylindrical forms to establish its volume. This becomes your lightest value anchor and will help you judge all subsequent colors.

3. 03

   Establish the golden domes

   Paint the three golden domes at the top with a warm, muted gold (Cadmium Yellow with Alizarin or Burnt Sienna to desaturate). These should be warm and luminous but not garish—they're lit by the same warm light as the crowd below. Keep them slightly cooler or less saturated than you think, or they'll jump out unrealistically.

4. 04

   Block in the major red masses of the crowd

   Using your two reds (the deeper #b8180f for shadows and layered areas, the brighter #b9371d for highlights and active figures), paint the dominant robes of the foreground soldiers. Don't paint individual figures yet—block in the overall shape and color of the crowd mass, leaving gaps for brown robes and other tones. This establishes the painting's core energy and color temperature.

5. 05

   Introduce the brown and mid-tone figures

   Paint the brown robes, tan skin tones, and mid-value figures within and behind the red crowd. Use your tan mix (#916e5d equivalent) to show figures receding and to break up the monotony of red. These mid-tones create the sense of depth and allow the reds to read more forcefully. Pay attention to which figures are in front and which are behind.

6. 06

   Add the darkest accents and define individual figures

   Use your darkest mix (#54201f) for the deep shadows in fabric folds, long beards, dark hair, and the navy-blue accents on some robes. These dark strokes define individual figures, create facial features, and add drama. The weapons and spears can be rendered with thin lines of darker tone. Work this layer carefully—these accents are what make the crowd read as distinct individuals rather than a blob.

7. 07

   Refine edges and add final details

   Walk the entire painting and sharpen edges where figures meet background, soften or define them as needed to read clearly. Add any final metallic accents on weapons or armor. Check that the white building still holds its lightness and isn't overwhelmed by the crowd. Make sure the variation within the reds is visible—some figures brighter, some more muted.

8. 08

   Step back and balance the composition

   View the painting from a distance. Check that the eye travels correctly—crowd to architecture to domes. Verify that the central figure (in the most vivid red with raised arms) reads as a focal point without being isolated. Adjust any values that seem too similar or any colors that feel flat. The painting should read as both a unified decorative design and a chaotic crowd scene.

• Making all the reds identical—this painting's energy comes from the subtle variation between the deep warm red and the brighter orange-red. Use both, and modulate them across figures. A flat, single red will kill the composition.
• Losing the white building to the red crowd—establish the building early and keep it bright. The crowd advances *because* the architecture recedes. If the building darkens or the crowd lightens equally, the spatial illusion collapses.
• Painting all figures with equal detail and value—the foreground soldiers need crisp, visible features and sharper value contrasts; background figures should be simpler, less detailed, and softer. This layering creates depth.
• Overcrowding or over-rendering individual faces—Bilibin suggests faces with minimal marks (eye dots, beard strokes). Too much detail on every face will look busy and confused. Let some figures be read more as silhouettes or color shapes.
• Making the shadows or folds muddy by overblending—keep color transitions fairly direct. The decorative style relies on clear color shapes, not gradual gradations. Edges can be soft, but colors should remain distinct.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility