plate no. 1248

Yellow City

Egon Schiele, 1914

oil, canvasArt Nouveau (Modern)cityscapecityscapebuildingshousesroofswindowssky

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create depth and texture, as well as understanding how to simplify complex forms into geometric shapes. It also encourages experimentation with expressive line work.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the buildings, focusing on their geometric forms and relative positions.
step 02
Establish the horizon line and the general layout of the background landscape.
step 03
Block in the main color areas for the buildings, using a limited palette of yellows, browns, and oranges.
step 04
Layer darker tones to create shadows and define the forms of the buildings.
step 05
Add details such as windows, doors, and chimneys, using a fine brush.
step 06
Introduce accent colors like red and green to create visual interest.
step 07
Outline the buildings with thin, dark lines to emphasize their shapes and add definition.
step 08
Adjust the overall color balance and add any final details.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · raw sienna

secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · ivory black

Mix various shades of yellow ochre and burnt umber for the buildings. Use white to lighten the colors and black to darken them. Mix red and yellow for the roofs.

techniques

·layering
·dry brushing
·scumbling
·linear perspective
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Getting lost in the details too early.
→Not establishing a clear value structure.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Making the outlines too heavy or uniform.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, burnt umber, raw sienna, cadmium red, viridian green, ivory black, titanium white)
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags