plate no. 1912

Pommes

Leon Arthur Tutundjian, 1950

oilSurrealismstill lifeapplestreesstill lifeskysurrealfruit

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in smooth blending, color mixing for realistic fruit tones, and precise rendering of fine details like branches. It also encourages understanding of surrealist composition and creating depth through scale and perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic composition, focusing on the placement and relative sizes of the apples and trees.
step 02
Block in the background sky and ground with flat, even tones.
step 03
Begin painting the apples, starting with the underpainting and gradually building up layers of color to create depth and form.
step 04
Pay close attention to the highlights and shadows on the apples to create a realistic three-dimensional effect.
step 05
Paint the cut apples, focusing on the details of the flesh and seeds.
step 06
Carefully render the bare trees, using a fine brush to create delicate branches.
step 07
Add the small details like the apple stems and the small rocks on the ground.
step 08
Refine the painting by adjusting colors, values, and details as needed.

color palette

primary · cadmium red · yellow ochre · sap green · titanium white

secondary · burnt umber · cerulean blue · raw sienna

Achieve the apple colors by mixing reds, yellows, and greens with white for highlights and umber for shadows. The sky is a mix of white and cerulean blue.

techniques

·smooth blending
·glazing
·color mixing
·rendering
·atmospheric perspective

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the overall sense of harmony.
→Failing to create a convincing sense of depth and perspective.
→Using colors that are too saturated or unnatural.
→Not paying enough attention to the subtle variations in tone and color on the apples.