plate no. 2468
Lilies, a Present from the Daughter
Tetyana Yablonska, 1997
some experience helpful
This painting is a good exercise in capturing the form of flowers with loose brushstrokes and subtle color variations. Students can learn to create depth and dimension using value changes within a limited color palette.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the lilies and stems.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin wash of gray and subtle browns.
- step 03
Begin layering in the white petals, paying attention to the light and shadow areas.
- step 04
Add the green stems and leaves, varying the shades of green.
- step 05
Refine the shapes and details of the flowers, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 06
Use short, broken brushstrokes to create texture and visual interest.
- step 07
Add the stamens and other small details.
- step 08
Review and adjust the overall composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · titanium white · raw umber · sap green
secondary · cadmium yellow light · ultramarine blue
Mix various shades of white by adding small amounts of raw umber, blue, or yellow. Create muted greens by mixing sap green with raw umber or blue.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·dry brushing
- ·alla prima
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
- →Making the whites too stark and flat.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the petals.
- →Not creating enough depth in the background.
- →Getting the proportions of the flowers wrong.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 filbert brush
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·odorless mineral spirits
- ·medium gloss
- ·cadmium yellow light oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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