plate no. 8151

Town

Kazimir Malevich, 1910

oilSymbolismcityscapetownbuildingsskytreeslandscapeclouds

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in pointillism and color mixing to achieve a harmonious yet vibrant color palette. It also encourages simplification of forms and exploration of abstract representation.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the town, mountains, and cloud formations.
step 02
Apply a base layer of yellow-orange for the sky, leaving spaces for the clouds.
step 03
Using a small brush, create the pointillist texture in the sky with varying shades of yellow, orange, and brown.
step 04
Paint the mountains and trees in the background using dark blues and blacks.
step 05
Add the cloud shapes with a mix of white, gray, and touches of red and orange.
step 06
Define the buildings in the foreground with blues, yellows, and whites, using simplified geometric shapes.
step 07
Add details to the foreground with small dots and dashes of color.
step 08
Refine the painting by adjusting the colors and adding final touches to the pointillist texture.

color palette

primary · yellow-orange · dark blue · white

secondary · red · brown · gray

Mix yellow and orange to achieve the base color for the sky. Use white to lighten the colors for the clouds and buildings. Mix small amounts of red and brown into the yellow-orange to create variations in the pointillist texture.

techniques

·pointillism
·color mixing
·simplification of forms
·layering
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the pointillist texture, leading to a muddy appearance.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, resulting in a less harmonious palette.
→Losing the overall composition by focusing too much on small details.
→Not allowing enough drying time between layers.