plate no. 3127

Bananas

Juan Gris, 1926

oilCubismstill lifestill lifebananasbottleguitartablecubism

some experience helpful

This painting offers a great opportunity to practice simplifying complex forms into geometric shapes and understanding how to represent depth through overlapping planes. Students will also learn about color relationships and how to create a harmonious palette.

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 and composition, focusing on the overlapping planes.
step 02
Block in the main color areas for each object (guitar, bottle, bananas, table, background).
step 03
Refine the shapes and edges of each object, paying attention to the cubist fragmentation.
step 04
Add the darker outlines to define the forms and create contrast.
step 05
Mix and apply the secondary colors to add depth and interest.
step 06
Introduce subtle variations in tone within each color block to create dimension.
step 07
Add the details, such as the label on the bottle and the lines on the guitar.
step 08
Step back and adjust the colors and values as needed to achieve a balanced composition.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cadmium red · viridian green · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt umber · titanium white · gray

Mix greens by combining viridian green and yellow ochre. Create various shades of gray by mixing burnt umber and titanium white. Muted tones are achieved by mixing complementary colors.

techniques

·blocking in
·geometric abstraction
·color layering
·outlining
·planar construction

common pitfalls

→Overcomplicating the shapes and losing the simplified geometric forms.
→Using colors that are too bright or saturated, disrupting the harmonious palette.
→Ignoring the overlapping planes and creating a flat, undifferentiated composition.
→Not paying attention to the relationships between the colors and values.