plate no. 5686
For the Armenians-fighters, veterans of World War II
Martiros Sarian, 1945
recreation guide
Martiros Sarian’s 1945 work 'For the Armenians-fighters, veterans of World War II' is categorized as a flower painting within the Realism style, executed in oil on canvas. While the title suggests a commemorative subject, the genre classification indicates the visual focus is on floral arrangements, likely serving as a symbolic tribute. Sarian, a founder of the modern Armenian national school of painting, is known for works inspired by his travels to Armenia and the Middle East, often characterized by a vibrant engagement with nature (Source 7). His practice emphasizes the 'laws of contrast of colour' to achieve harmony and brilliancy, ensuring that the composition remains visually striking without appearing antiquated (Source 8). The painting likely utilizes a palette that balances inherent colors of the natural subject with chosen background tones to create a unified whole.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints | Primary medium for the painting | — |
| Canvas | Support surface | Linen or cotton canvas primed with gesso |
| Brushes | Application of paint | Hog bristle and sable brushes |
| Palette knife | Mixing paints and applying thick impasto if needed | — |
| Solvents (Turpentine/Oil) | Thinning paint and cleaning brushes | Odorless mineral spirits or linseed oil |
preparation
surface prep
The canvas should be primed with a traditional ground, likely gesso or a chalk-based primer, to provide a smooth, absorbent surface for the oil paints. Sarian’s work in the mid-20th century would have utilized standard professional canvas preparation techniques of the time, ensuring the surface could hold multiple layers of oil paint without cracking.
underdrawing
Sarian’s specific preparatory drawing methods for this piece are not detailed in the sources. However, consistent with general oil painting practices of the period, a light underdrawing using charcoal or thinned oil paint would likely be used to establish the composition of the flowers and foliage. Contour drawing techniques may be employed to emphasize the mass and volume of the floral forms rather than fine detail (Source 5).
underpainting
An underpainting layer, possibly a grisaille or a monochromatic wash, may be applied to establish the tonal values and composition before introducing full color. This aligns with the principle that good composition requires mental effort and arrangement before the final painting stage (Source 2).
color palette
Vibrant Florals
Reds, yellows, blues, and greens
The flowers and leaves, reflecting Sarian’s inspiration from Armenian and Middle Eastern nature (Source 7)
Contrasting Background
Complementary colors to the flowers
Background and drapery, chosen to enhance the brilliancy of the flowers through simultaneous contrast (Source 1, Source 8)
Neutral Tones
Grays, browns, or muted earth tones
Shadows and depth, created by mixing complementary colors to neutralize hue shifts (Source 6)
composition
The composition likely emphasizes the arrangement of the floral subject to create a harmonious whole. Sarian’s practice involves selecting colors for backgrounds and accessories that are not inherent to the model but are chosen to enhance the overall effect (Source 1). The arrangement should avoid arbitrary placement, instead using the principles of contrast to guide the viewer’s eye and create a sense of depth and volume (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the flowers and foliage on the primed canvas using charcoal or thinned paint.
Tip — Focus on the mass and volume of the forms rather than fine details (Source 5).
Contour drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochromatic underpainting to establish light and shadow values.
Tip — Ensure the composition is balanced and the arrangement is effective before adding color (Source 2).
Grisaille or tonal underpainting
first pass
step 03
Block in the main colors of the flowers and background, using complementary colors to create contrast.
Tip — Place complementary colors next to each other to enhance their brilliancy (Source 4, Source 8).
Simultaneous contrast
refining
step 04
Refine the details of the flowers and leaves, adjusting hues by mixing with adjacent colors to correct shifts.
Tip — Avoid adding black to darken colors, as it can cause hue shifts; use complementary colors instead (Source 6).
Color mixing
finishing
step 05
Add final highlights and shadows, ensuring the gradation of light is true and the colors are harmonized.
Tip — Check that the juxtaposition of colors produces the desired gradation of light and harmony (Source 1).
Chiaroscuro and color harmony
varnishing
step 06
Apply a protective varnish once the painting is completely dry.
Tip — Ensure the painting is dry to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Simultaneous Contrast
Using complementary colors next to each other to enhance brilliancy and harmony, as discussed in the laws of contrast of colour (Source 1, Source 8).
Color Mixing without Black
Darkening colors by adding their complementary color rather than black to avoid hue shifts (Source 6).
Compositional Arrangement
Carefully arranging the elements of the painting to create a harmonious and effective composition, requiring mental effort and imaginative faculties (Source 2).
common pitfalls
- →Adding black to darken colors, which can cause unwanted hue shifts (Source 6).
- →Neglecting the principles of simultaneous contrast, leading to a dull or unharmonious composition (Source 1).
- →Focusing too much on detail at the expense of overall composition and mass (Source 5).
- →Assuming that compositional skill comes easily without training and effort (Source 2).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of the flowers and their arrangement in the painting are not described in the sources.
- ·Sarian’s exact palette for this specific painting is not documented in the provided sources.
- ·The specific preparatory methods (e.g., type of underpainting) used by Sarian for this work are not detailed.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Understanding simultaneous contrast and color harmony
- 492. In explaining the applications... — applied to Selecting colors for harmony and brilliancy
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COMPOSITION — applied to Emphasizing the importance of compositional arrangement and mental effort
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Complementary colors↗
- Complementary colors — part 1 — applied to Using complementary colors to enhance visual impact
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — part 1 — applied to Technique for underdrawing to emphasize mass and volume
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Color mixing principles to avoid hue shifts
Wikipedia bio — Martiros Sarian↗
- Martiros Sarian — part 1 — applied to Background on Sarian’s style and inspiration
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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