plate no. 2948

The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

oil, panelOrientalismcityscapewallfiguresarchitecturetreescityscapeJerusalem

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting light and shadow on textured surfaces and capturing the atmospheric perspective of a cityscape. It also provides practice in painting figures in a loose, impressionistic style.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and perspective lines of the wall and ground.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the wall, ground, and foliage using thin washes.
step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns on the wall, paying attention to the texture of the stones.
step 04
Add the figures, focusing on their general shapes and gestures rather than precise details.
step 05
Refine the colors and values, gradually building up the details and textures.
step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Pay attention to the edges of shapes, softening some and sharpening others to create visual interest.
step 08
Add final details, such as the foliage and architectural elements.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red · sap green

Mix various shades of ochre and umber with white to create the tones of the wall. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create grays for shadows. Mix greens with ochre and blue for the foliage.

techniques