plate no. 0754

Dahlias

oil, canvasImpressionismflower paintingflowersvasetablestill lifefaninterior

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose brushwork, color mixing for subtle variations, and capturing the impression of light and form rather than precise details. It's a good exercise in capturing the essence of a subject with expressive strokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the vase, flowers, and table.
step 02
Block in the background with thin washes of neutral colors.
step 03
Establish the main color masses of the flowers, focusing on overall shapes and values.
step 04
Add details to the vase, including the floral patterns, using small, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Develop the table surface with layers of color, capturing the reflections and highlights.
step 06
Refine the shapes and colors of the flowers, adding depth and texture with varied brushstrokes.
step 07
Add the fan and any other details, paying attention to their placement and relationship to the rest of the composition.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall color harmony and value contrast.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · ultramarine blue

secondary · burnt umber · viridian green · yellow ochre

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use thin washes of color for the background and build up layers for the flowers and vase.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·alla prima
·color layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Not paying attention to the overall value structure.
→Making the brushstrokes too uniform.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (titanium white, cadmium yellow, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, yellow ochre)
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·turpentine