plate no. 9054

View of Athens with Zappeion, the Panathenaic Stadium and Hymettus in the Background

Spyros Vassiliou, 1978

oilNaïve Art (Primitivism)landscapecityscapemountaintreesparkfiguressky

some experience helpful

This painting offers practice in layering colors to create depth and texture, and simplifying complex scenes into basic shapes. Students can learn to capture the essence of a landscape without hyper-realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes: mountain, city, trees, and foreground.
step 02
Block in the sky with a light blue, allowing for some variation.
step 03
Establish the mountain's form with a base of gray-blue, adding highlights and shadows.
step 04
Paint the city as a mass of white and gray, suggesting buildings with simple strokes.
step 05
Layer different shades of green for the trees, creating texture with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Add pops of color to the trees with yellows, oranges, and reds.
step 07
Paint the foreground with a muted gray, adding small figures and details.
step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create depth.

color palette

primary · cerulean blue · titanium white · sap green · gray

secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue

Mix greens by blending sap green with blues and yellows. Create grays by mixing white, black, and a touch of blue or brown. Achieve the mountain's color by mixing blue, gray, and a hint of brown.

techniques