plate no. 9111

Still Life

Francis Picabia, 1908

oilImpressionismstill lifestill lifetablefruitbottlewindowflowers

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and practice applying impressionistic brushstrokes to build form and texture.

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: the table, fruit bowl, bottle, and window.
step 02
Establish the background colors with broad strokes, focusing on the overall light and shadow.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the table, fruit, and bottle, using broken color techniques.
step 04
Begin layering colors to create depth and dimension in the fruit and flowers.
step 05
Add details to the bottle and glass, paying attention to reflections and highlights.
step 06
Refine the background with more color variations and textures.
step 07
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall impressionistic effect.
step 08
Step back and adjust colors and values as needed to achieve a harmonious balance.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · titanium white · cadmium yellow

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Mix white with yellow ochre and a touch of blue to create the light tones of the table. Use varying amounts of blue and yellow to create the greens for the foliage. Mix red and yellow to achieve the peach hues.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·color mixing
·layering

common pitfalls

→Over-blending colors, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Neglecting to vary brushstrokes, leading to a flat texture.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows and highlights.
→Focusing too much on detail in the initial stages.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, titanium white, cadmium yellow, burnt sienna, viridian green, alizarin crimson)
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags