plate no. 5686

Red Cabbages, Rhubarb and Orange

Charles Demuth, 1929

oilExpressionismstill lifecabbagerhubarborangestill lifevegetablesfruit

some experience helpful

This painting offers practice in layering transparent washes to build depth and form, and in capturing subtle color variations within a limited palette. Students will also develop skills in rendering organic shapes and textures using watercolor techniques.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the outlines of the cabbage, rhubarb, and orange, paying attention to their overlapping forms.
step 02
Apply a light wash of yellow ochre to the orange, gradually building up the color in layers.
step 03
Mix a base color for the rhubarb using a combination of alizarin crimson and a touch of yellow ochre, and apply a light wash.
step 04
For the cabbage, start with a diluted wash of alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue, focusing on the shadows and crevices.
step 05
Layer additional washes of the cabbage color, gradually increasing the concentration to deepen the shadows and define the leaf structure.
step 06
Add subtle highlights to the cabbage and rhubarb using a slightly lighter and warmer version of their respective base colors.
step 07
Paint the leaves with a mix of sap green and yellow ochre, adding shadows with a touch of burnt umber.
step 08
Add cast shadows beneath the objects using a diluted mix of burnt umber and ultramarine blue.

color palette

primary · alizarin crimson · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue

secondary · sap green · burnt umber

Mix alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue for the cabbage's purple hues. Use yellow ochre and alizarin crimson for the rhubarb's red-orange tones. Combine sap green and yellow ochre for the leaves, adjusting the ratio for variations.

techniques

·layering washes
·wet-on-dry glazing
·color mixing
·rendering organic forms
·creating soft shadows

common pitfalls

→Overworking the washes, leading to a muddy appearance.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing, resulting in a lack of harmony.
→Neglecting to preserve highlights, making the objects appear flat.
→Not paying attention to the subtle color variations within each object.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 140lb

required

·Watercolor paints (alizarin crimson, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, sap green, burnt umber)
·Watercolor paper (140lb cold press)
·Round watercolor brushes (sizes 2, 6, 10)
·Palette for mixing paints
·Water container
·Paper towels
·Pencil
·Eraser