plate no. 2866

Arum Lilies In A Vase

Gregoire Boonzaier, 1940

oilImpressionismstill lifeflowersvasestill lifeleavestable

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice layering colors and creating form with visible brushstrokes. It also provides a good exercise in observing subtle color variations in seemingly monochromatic subjects like the white lilies.

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 of the vase, flowers, and leaves, paying attention to proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the background with a mix of grays and browns, using broad brushstrokes.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes of the vase with dark brown, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 04
Begin painting the leaves with dark green, adding lighter greens and yellows for highlights.
step 05
Paint the white lilies, using subtle variations of white, gray, and green to define their form and capture the light.
step 06
Add the yellow centers of the lilies.
step 07
Refine the details of the vase, flowers, and leaves, adding texture and definition with smaller brushstrokes.
step 08
Add final touches to the background and foreground, ensuring a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · sap green

secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray · cadmium yellow light

Mix white with small amounts of gray, green, or yellow to create the subtle variations in the lilies. Use burnt umber and white for the vase, adding touches of yellow ochre for highlights. Mix greens with varying amounts of yellow and brown for the leaves.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·layering
·color mixing
·impasto

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Using pure white for the lilies without considering subtle color variations.
→Not paying attention to the proportions and placement of the elements in the composition.
→Creating too much contrast, resulting in a harsh and unrealistic look.