plate no. 5609

Mountain Flowers

Dumitru Ghiatza, 1956

oilPost-Impressionismflower paintingflowersvasestableclothstill lifefoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating texture with brushstrokes, and simplifying complex forms into basic shapes. It also provides practice in capturing the overall mood and atmosphere of a scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the vases, flowers, and tablecloth.
step 02
Block in the background color with a thin wash.
step 03
Establish the main color masses for the flowers and foliage, focusing on value and temperature.
step 04
Begin adding details to the vases, paying attention to the patterns and colors.
step 05
Develop the texture of the tablecloth with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the shapes and colors of the flowers, adding highlights and shadows.
step 07
Add final details and adjust values as needed.
step 08
Varnish the painting when dry.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · titanium white

secondary · viridian green · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. Use yellow ochre and white for highlights on the tablecloth and flowers. Mix alizarin crimson with burnt sienna for the background.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·dry brushing
·layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details
→getting bogged down in individual flower details before establishing the overall composition
→using colors straight from the tube without mixing
→creating mud by over-blending