plate no. 5422
Crisantemos
Andres de Santa Maria, 1917
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering paint, creating texture with brushstrokes, and mixing subtle color variations to represent light and shadow. It also provides practice in capturing the form of flowers and a vase with loose, expressive brushwork.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the vase, flowers, and table.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of yellow and ochre.
- step 03
Establish the dark areas of the leaves and the shadows within the flowers.
- step 04
Begin layering the white and off-white tones of the chrysanthemums, using short, textured brushstrokes.
- step 05
Add highlights to the flowers and vase to create a sense of depth and form.
- step 06
Refine the details of the vase, paying attention to the subtle color variations.
- step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a cohesive and harmonious composition.
- step 08
Add final touches to the background and table to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue
secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · sap green
Mix various shades of white by adding small amounts of yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, or alizarin crimson. Create the greens by mixing yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Achieve the background color by mixing yellow ochre with a touch of burnt umber.
techniques
- ·impasto
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
- →Making the flowers too uniform and lacking in texture.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the vase and background.
- →Losing the overall sense of light and shadow.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 16x20
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·#6 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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