plate no. 3416
Fruit in a Dish
Matthew Smith, 1915
some experience helpful
This painting is great for practicing expressive brushstrokes and understanding how to simplify forms into basic shapes. Students will also learn about color relationships and how to create visual interest through contrasting colors.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
5
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the fruit, dish, and table.
- step 02
Block in the background with broad strokes of green, white, and red.
- step 03
Fill in the table with red and blue, following the striped pattern.
- step 04
Paint the fruit with bold strokes of green, blue, and orange, adding shadows with darker tones.
- step 05
Add details to the dish with yellow and blue.
- step 06
Refine the edges and add highlights to create depth.
- step 07
Adjust colors and values as needed to match the original painting.
- step 08
Add final touches to the background stripes.
color palette
primary · red · green · blue · orange
secondary · white · yellow
Mix darker shades of each color by adding a touch of complementary color or black. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.
techniques
- ·expressive brushstrokes
- ·color blocking
- ·simplified forms
- ·impasto
- ·broken color
common pitfalls
- →Overblending colors
- →getting bogged down in details
- →making the colors too muted
- →losing the energy of the brushstrokes
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·assorted brushes (flat and round)
- ·red oil paint
- ·green oil paint
- ·blue oil paint
- ·orange oil paint
- ·white oil paint
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use thick paint and bold brushstrokes to capture the expressive style of the original painting.
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