plate no. 5019
Child Eating Cherries
Pierre Bonnard, 1895
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow on skin tones and creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in simplifying complex patterns and rendering a scene with soft, diffused edges.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 12 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the table.
- step 02
Establish the main color blocks for the background, figures, and tablecloth.
- step 03
Begin layering skin tones, using a limited palette and focusing on subtle shifts in value.
- step 04
Develop the pattern on the child's shirt, simplifying the details and focusing on the overall effect.
- step 05
Add the cherries, paying attention to their placement and the highlights on their surfaces.
- step 06
Refine the background and foreground, adding details and adjusting the values to create depth.
- step 07
Soften edges and blend colors to create a sense of atmosphere.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white
secondary · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson · raw umber
Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and titanium white, adding small amounts of alizarin crimson for warmth. Use ivory black and ultramarine blue for the darker areas, and mix white with blue for the tablecloth.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brush
- ·glazing
- ·color layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the overall impressionistic effect.
- →Creating harsh lines and edges instead of soft transitions.
- →Using too many colors and creating a muddy palette.
- →Failing to simplify the patterns and details.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·alizarin crimson oil paint
- ·round brushes sizes 2, 4, 6
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
Use a canvas with a medium texture to allow for visible brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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