plate no. 0074
Still Life
Jean David, 1950
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice color mixing with a limited palette and develop skills in creating texture with visible brushstrokes. It also offers a good introduction to simplified forms and abstract representation.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes: a bowl and three circles.
- step 02
Block in the background with a base layer of yellow ochre.
- step 03
Add darker shades of yellow ochre to the lower part of the background to create a sense of depth.
- step 04
Paint the bowl with a mix of burnt umber and yellow ochre, using short, visible brushstrokes.
- step 05
Fill in the circles with varying shades of yellow, orange, and a touch of red.
- step 06
Add highlights to the circles and the rim of the bowl using lighter shades of yellow and white.
- step 07
Outline the circles with a thin line of white or light yellow to define their edges.
- step 08
Refine the brushstrokes and add subtle variations in color to create texture and depth.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white
secondary · cadmium yellow · cadmium orange · alizarin crimson
Achieve the various shades of yellow and orange by mixing yellow ochre with small amounts of cadmium yellow, cadmium orange, and burnt umber. Use white to lighten the colors for highlights.
techniques
- ·dry brush texture
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·visible brushstrokes
- ·layering
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the colors, which can flatten the image.
- →Using too much paint, which can obscure the texture.
- →Ignoring the subtle variations in color within the circles and the background.
- →Making the outlines of the circles too uniform, which can make them look flat.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium yellow oil paint
- ·cadmium orange oil paint
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·#4 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·odorless mineral spirits
Use a canvas with a slightly rough texture to enhance the visibility of the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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