plate no. 7559

Caricature No.1 (Bread and Match)

Koshiro Onchi, 1948

oilSōsaku hangastill lifestill lifebreadmatchboxgeometric shapestabletop

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students practice color blocking and understanding the relationship between simple shapes. It also encourages careful observation of subtle color variations within seemingly flat areas.

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 their placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color: the blue square, the off-white background, and the yellow tabletop.
step 03
Mix the brown color for the bread and fill in the shape, paying attention to the subtle variations in tone.
step 04
Paint the white paper under the bread, adding subtle shadows to define its form.
step 05
Carefully paint the white geometric shape, using light blue to create shadows and volume.
step 06
Paint the matchbox, paying close attention to the details of the lettering and color variations.
step 07
Add any final details and adjustments to refine the shapes and colors.
step 08
Allow to dry completely.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium red

The background color is a mix of titanium white with a very small amount of yellow ochre and burnt umber. The bread color is achieved by mixing burnt umber with a touch of yellow ochre and white. The white shape has a hint of blue.

techniques

·color blocking
·flat washes
·subtle shading
·geometric shapes
·observational painting

common pitfalls

→Overmixing colors and losing the subtle variations.
→Making the shapes too perfect and losing the hand-painted feel.
→Ignoring the subtle shadows and highlights that define the forms.
→Not paying attention to the proportions and placement of the objects.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·acrylic paints (ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red)
·round brushes (various sizes)
·flat brushes (various sizes)
·palette
·water container
·paper towels