plate no. 4351

Still Life

Henri Catargi, 1972

oilPost-Impressionismstill lifestill lifeteapotbowllemontabletopbackground

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to simplify forms and capture subtle color variations in white objects. It also offers practice in creating a balanced composition with a limited palette.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the teapot, bowl, and lemon, paying attention to their relative sizes and positions.
step 02
Block in the background areas with flat washes of color.
step 03
Establish the dark tabletop area.
step 04
Begin layering the white objects, starting with the darkest shadows and gradually adding lighter tones.
step 05
Mix subtle variations of white with hints of gray, yellow, and pink to capture the light and shadow on the objects.
step 06
Paint the lemon with a simple yellow wash and add a few darker accents to define its form.
step 07
Refine the edges of the objects and add any final details.
step 08
Add the artist's signature.

color palette

primary · titanium white · ivory black · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · cadmium yellow light

Mix various shades of white by adding small amounts of black, yellow ochre, or burnt umber. Create the background colors by mixing black and white with touches of blue or umber.

techniques