plate no. 3026

Evian Bottles

Janet Fish, 1976

oilContemporary Realismstill lifebottlesglassstill lifereflectionlabelsarchitecture

experienced study

This painting offers a great opportunity to practice rendering transparent objects and capturing complex reflections. Students can develop skills in color mixing and layering to achieve the subtle variations in tone and texture.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the bottles and background elements.
step 02
Establish the darkest and lightest values to create a sense of depth.
step 03
Begin layering colors to represent the reflections and refractions within the glass.
step 04
Pay close attention to the subtle color shifts and variations in tone.
step 05
Add details to the labels and bottle shapes, refining the edges and contours.
step 06
Develop the background with loose, expressive brushstrokes.
step 07
Continuously compare and adjust the colors and values to create a cohesive composition.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to enhance the sense of realism.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · cerulean blue

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Achieve the glass-like transparency by layering thin washes of diluted colors. Mix greens and blues with white to create the subtle variations in the glass. Use red and brown to create the label colors.

techniques