Pots by Petros Malayan

plate no. 9734

Pots

Petros Malayan, 1989

oilExpressionismstill lifepotsstill lifebookvesselstabletop

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting form with limited color palettes and understanding how to suggest texture through brushwork. It also provides practice in arranging a still life composition.

technical profile

palette complexity

3

brushwork visibility

4

value contrast

3

compositional simplicity

3

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and placement of the pots and book.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of muted greens and browns.
step 03
Block in the main shapes of the pots with mid-tone browns and grays.
step 04
Add darker values to define shadows and create depth.
step 05
Introduce lighter values to indicate highlights and form.
step 06
Paint the book with off-white and subtle shadows to suggest pages.
step 07
Refine the shapes and edges of the objects, paying attention to the relationships between them.
step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · yellow ochre

Mix browns with white for lighter tones, and add small amounts of green or yellow ochre to create subtle color variations in the pots and background.

techniques

·dry brushing
·scumbling
·value studies
·limited palette

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive feel.
→Creating overly bright highlights that detract from the overall mood.
→Failing to establish a clear value structure, resulting in a flat image.
→Not paying attention to the negative space around the objects.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas
·raw umber oil paint
·burnt umber oil paint
·titanium white oil paint
·sap green oil paint
·yellow ochre oil paint
·#8 round brush
·palette

optional

·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits

Use a canvas with a medium texture to enhance the brushwork.

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