plate no. 7766

Smoking Cherries

oilExpressionismstill lifestill lifecherriesglassfiguretablesmoking

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in abstracting forms and using textured brushwork to create depth and interest. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve muted and earthy tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the geometric forms.
step 02
Block in the main color areas with thin washes, establishing the overall value structure.
step 03
Begin building up layers of paint, using thicker brushstrokes to create texture and depth.
step 04
Mix subtle variations of browns, grays, and reds to capture the nuances of the palette.
step 05
Pay attention to the edges of shapes, softening some and defining others to create visual interest.
step 06
Add details such as the cherries, glass, and figure, simplifying their forms.
step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows to enhance the three-dimensionality of the objects.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust the overall balance of the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · payne's gray · cadmium red light · yellow ochre

Achieve the earthy tones by mixing browns, grays, and ochres. Use white to lighten values and create subtle highlights. Mix small amounts of red and yellow into browns to create warmer tones.

techniques