plate no. 1863

La Citrouille et son reflet

Jean Helion, 1958

oilExpressionismstill lifepumpkinstill lifetablechairshadowsreflection

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing form with loose, expressive lines and using a limited color palette to create a cohesive and atmospheric composition. It also encourages observation of subtle color variations within shadows and highlights.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the pumpkin, table, chair, and background elements, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Establish the darkest shadow areas with a dark brown or gray, using loose, scribbled lines.
step 03
Begin layering in the base color of the background and table, using a light tan or beige.
step 04
Introduce the orange tones of the pumpkin, building up color gradually and leaving some areas of the background color showing through.
step 05
Add highlights to the pumpkin and table using white or a very light tan.
step 06
Define the edges of the objects and add details with darker lines, using a pencil or dark-colored crayon.
step 07
Create the reflection in the chair back with similar colors to the pumpkin, but slightly muted.
step 08
Refine the shadows and highlights, adjusting the values to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray

Mix burnt sienna with raw umber for the darker shades of the pumpkin and shadows. Add titanium white to lighten the orange and create highlights. Use yellow ochre sparingly to add warmth to the pumpkin and background.

techniques

·scribbling
·hatching
·layering
·color mixing
·observational drawing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
→Using too much color and creating a muddy effect.
→Not paying attention to the proportions and placement of the objects.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations within the shadows and highlights.

materials

surface · toned paper or cardboard

required

·toned paper or cardboard
·burnt sienna oil pastel
·raw umber oil pastel
·titanium white oil pastel
·yellow ochre oil pastel
·payne's gray oil pastel
·kneaded eraser

optional

·palette knife
·blending stump
·workable fixative

Using toned paper will help to establish the mid-tones and create a more cohesive composition. Oil pastels can be blended with fingers or a blending stump to create smoother transitions.

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