plate no. 7139

Morning Still Life

Kuzmá Petrov-Vodkin, 1918

oil, canvasSymbolismstill lifestill lifeflowersteapottableglasseggs

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve muted tones and in rendering reflective surfaces like the teapot and glass. It will also improve their understanding of composition and creating depth through subtle value changes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions and placement.
step 02
Establish the background color of the wall and the table using thin washes of color.
step 03
Block in the main colors of each object: the flowers, teapot, glass, eggs, and other items.
step 04
Begin to develop the form of each object by adding shadows and highlights, focusing on the light source.
step 05
Carefully render the reflective surfaces of the teapot and glass, capturing the subtle variations in color and value.
step 06
Add details to the flowers, paying attention to the individual petals and stems.
step 07
Refine the edges of each object and add any final details.
step 08
Add the dog in the background.

color palette

primary · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · titanium white

secondary · payne's gray · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use a limited palette to create color harmony. Mix blues and browns for the shadows on the table.

techniques