plate no. 3665

Horned Oranges

Yamamura Toyonari, 1926

oilSōsaku hangastill lifefruitstill lifetablebowlpatterned background

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students practice color blocking and creating flat planes of color, as well as understanding how to simplify complex shapes into basic forms. It also introduces the concept of stylized representation rather than realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the bowl, fruit, and table.
step 02
Divide the background into sections for the patterned area and the plain area.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the table, bowl, and fruit using flat, even tones.
step 04
Add the darker shadows and highlights to the fruit to create dimension.
step 05
Carefully paint the background pattern, simplifying the details as needed.
step 06
Outline the shapes with a fine brush to define the edges.
step 07
Add details like the stem and the small dots on the yellow fruit.
step 08
Refine the colors and edges as needed.

color palette

primary · orange · yellow · blue · brown

secondary · white · black · green

Mix orange by combining red and yellow. Vary the shades of orange by adding small amounts of brown or white. Create the blue by mixing cyan and a touch of black.

techniques

·color blocking
·flat washes
·outlining
·simplified representation

common pitfalls

→Overcomplicating the background pattern.
→Using too many colors or mixing muddy colors.
→Losing the flat, graphic quality of the original.
→Not simplifying the shapes enough.

materials

surface · Heavy paper or primed canvas

required

·Acrylic paints (orange, yellow, blue, brown, white, black)
·Round brushes (various sizes)
·Flat brushes (various sizes)
·Canvas or heavy paper
·Palette
·Water container
·Paper towels

optional

·Tracing paper
·Ruler
·Palette knife

Using a limited palette will help to achieve the simplified color scheme of the original. Consider using matte acrylics to mimic the flat appearance of a woodblock print.

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