plate no. 6869

Cyclamen

Lucian Freud, 1964

oil, canvasContemporary Realismflower paintingflowersleavesstill lifetable

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and in rendering organic forms with visible brushstrokes. It also encourages observation of light and shadow on complex shapes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the flowers, leaves, and stems, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of mixed beige/tan tones.
step 03
Block in the dark areas of the leaves and stems using a dark brown/green mixture.
step 04
Begin layering the flower petals with white, adding touches of pink and red to create the subtle color variations.
step 05
Refine the shapes of the leaves and stems, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 06
Add the details to the flowers, such as the veins and the subtle color shifts.
step 07
Adjust the background and foreground to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · cadmium red light

secondary · sap green · yellow ochre

Mix white with small amounts of red and umber to achieve the various shades of pink in the flowers. Use umber and green for the dark leaves, adjusting with white or yellow ochre for highlights.

techniques