Apple by Edwin Dickinson

plate no. 9218

Apple

Edwin Dickinson, 1911

oilExpressionismstill lifestill lifebottleappletableplateobjects

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting helps students understand value relationships and how to create form with simple tonal variations. It's also a good exercise in capturing the essence of objects rather than precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

2

brushwork visibility

4

value contrast

4

compositional simplicity

4

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 7 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the bottle, apple, and plate.
step 02
Establish the darkest and lightest areas to define the value range.
step 03
Block in the background with a mid-tone gray.
step 04
Begin layering darker tones on the bottle and apple, paying attention to the shadows.
step 05
Add lighter tones to the apple and bottle to create highlights and form.
step 06
Refine the shape and edges of the plate, using subtle value changes to suggest its curvature.
step 07
Adjust the values throughout the painting to create a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · ivory black · titanium white · raw umber

secondary · payne's gray

Mix various shades of gray by combining black and white. Add small amounts of raw umber to warm the grays, and payne's gray to cool them.

techniques

·value studies
·scumbling
·blending
·layering
·chiaroscuro

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Creating too much contrast too early in the process.
→Ignoring the subtle value changes that define the forms.
→Making the edges too sharp and defined.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·ivory black oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·raw umber oil paint
·round brushes (various sizes)
·palette
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits

optional

·palette knife
·medium (e.g., Liquin)

Use a medium-grain canvas to allow for some texture in the brushstrokes. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of raw umber before starting.

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oil painting for beginners →how to learn by studying the masters →

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