plate no. 1769

Piege

Ivan Tovar, 1978

oilSurrealismsymbolic paintingabstract shapesgeometric formssurrealstill lifeshadows

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in smooth blending, color mixing to achieve subtle gradients, and understanding light and shadow to create form.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and their placement on the canvas.
step 02
Block in the background with the dark blue-gray color, creating a gradient from dark to light.
step 03
Paint the orange ground plane, ensuring a smooth, even application.
step 04
Begin painting the white shapes, focusing on achieving smooth gradients and highlights.
step 05
Mix and apply the colors for the smaller colored shapes (yellow, blue, green), paying attention to their highlights and shadows.
step 06
Carefully add the cast shadows, blending them smoothly into the background and ground.
step 07
Refine the edges of all shapes and shadows to achieve a clean, polished look.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to enhance the three-dimensional effect.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow · dioxazine purple · viridian

Achieve the subtle gradients by gradually mixing white with the base colors. Use thin glazes to build up color and create smooth transitions. The background is a mix of blue and black with white to create the gradient. The orange is a mix of burnt sienna and yellow.

techniques