plate no. 5826

The Twentieth Century

Sandor Bortnyik, 1927

oilCubismsymbolic paintingfigurespuppetsairplaneskycubecurtain

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in geometric abstraction, color mixing for muted tones, and creating a sense of depth through linear perspective and value changes. It also encourages understanding of surreal and symbolic representation.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures, the cube, and the horizon line.
step 02
Establish the striped ground plane using accurate perspective.
step 03
Block in the large shapes of the figures with simplified forms and basic colors.
step 04
Mix and apply the base colors for the sky, curtain, and background wall.
step 05
Add shadows and highlights to the figures and cube to create volume and dimension.
step 06
Refine the details of the airplane and the small figure in the distance.
step 07
Paint the thin lines of the puppet strings.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as needed to unify the painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · cadmium red

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors (e.g., blue and orange, red and green) with white. Use yellow ochre and burnt umber for the warm browns and yellows.

techniques