plate no. 9554

Turkish Cafe (I)

August Macke, 1914

oilFauvismgenre paintingcafefigurebuildingchairdoorwayawning

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes and using a limited color palette to create a harmonious composition. It also provides an opportunity to explore expressive brushwork and color mixing techniques.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition: the building, doorway, figure, chair, and vertical post.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the sky, building facade, awning, and ground.
step 03
Mix the specific colors for the awning stripes and apply them using visible brushstrokes.
step 04
Add the details of the doorway, including the arched window and the red door.
step 05
Paint the figure, simplifying the form and focusing on the color relationships between the figure and the background.
step 06
Add the chair and the vertical post, paying attention to their placement and color.
step 07
Refine the colors and brushstrokes throughout the painting, adding subtle variations and textures.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · red · yellow · orange · white

secondary · green · blue · brown

Achieve the various shades of orange by mixing red and yellow with varying amounts of white. Mix greens by combining yellow and blue, and adjust the tone with white or brown.

techniques

·blocking in
·color mixing
·expressive brushwork
·simplification of form
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overcomplicating the composition with too many details.
→Creating muddy colors by overmixing.
→Losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
→Not paying attention to the color relationships between the different elements.