plate no. 4261

Walls of Jerusalem

oilSurrealismcityscapecityscapebuildingsskybirdwallsmoon

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating textures with brushstrokes, and understanding atmospheric perspective. It also encourages experimentation with abstracting architectural forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the buildings and the moon, focusing on composition.
step 02
Apply a thin wash of diluted acrylics or watercolors as an underpainting, using light blues and greens for the sky and yellows/oranges for the buildings.
step 03
Begin layering in the darker tones of the buildings, using browns, reds, and greens. Allow some of the underpainting to show through.
step 04
Use a dry brush technique to add texture to the walls and buildings, creating a sense of age and decay.
step 05
Mix and apply the colors for the bird, paying attention to its subtle variations in tone.
step 06
Add highlights to the buildings and the bird to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Refine the details and adjust the colors as needed to achieve the desired effect.
step 08
Add final touches like subtle patterns on the walls.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · sap green · cerulean blue · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · raw umber · cadmium red light

Mix greens by blending blues and yellows, and create earthy tones by combining browns, reds, and yellows. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques