plate no. 5501

Nature morte a la coupe de fruits

Leon Arthur Tutundjian, 1926

oilSurrealismstill lifestill lifefruitapplesbowlabstractdots

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in watercolor washes, stippling techniques, and creating depth through layering. It also encourages experimentation with unconventional color combinations and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the outlines of the bowl and apples.
step 02
Apply a light wash of diluted turquoise/teal across the entire background.
step 03
Using a slightly darker mix of the background color, add washes around the objects to create shadows and depth.
step 04
Mix the colors for the apples (red, green, yellow) and apply them in light washes, allowing them to blend and bleed into each other.
step 05
Create the dark area of the bowl with a mix of black and brown, using a stippling technique to build up the tone gradually.
step 06
Add the small dots/spheres within the bowl using a fine brush and a darker color.
step 07
Use a fine liner brush to add the delicate outlines around the shapes, and the branch detail.
step 08
Add splatters of diluted brown/ochre to create texture and visual interest.

color palette

primary · turquoise · teal · brown · black

secondary · red · green · yellow · ochre

Achieve the background color by diluting turquoise with water. Mix browns with black and ochre for the bowl and splatters. Create the apple colors by layering diluted washes of red, green, and yellow.

techniques