plate no. 1988
Flores en un jarrón
Marie-Thérèse Auffray, 1953
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in loose, expressive brushwork and layering colors to create depth and texture. It also provides practice in simplifying complex forms into basic shapes.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the vase and the overall form of the flower arrangement.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of light green for the background.
- step 03
Block in the dark base and vase with black paint.
- step 04
Start adding the general colors of the flowers, focusing on the overall color masses.
- step 05
Use short, expressive brushstrokes to define individual petals and leaves.
- step 06
Layer different colors on top of each other to create depth and variation.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to enhance the form of the flowers.
- step 08
Refine the details and adjust the composition as needed.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · cadmium red
secondary · sap green · burnt umber · violet
Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Create variations of pink and purple by mixing cadmium red, titanium white, and ultramarine blue. Use burnt umber to darken colors and create shadows.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·impasto
- ·color layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
- →Making the colors too uniform and lacking variation.
- →Not establishing a strong value structure.
- →Failing to simplify the complex shapes of the flowers.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes
- ·flat brushes
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·apron
Use a medium-grain canvas for best results. Acrylic paints are more beginner-friendly due to their faster drying time.
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