plate no. 8049

Still-life

Lajos Tihanyi, 1911

oilPost-Impressionismstill lifestill lifetablepitcherapplesbowlcloth

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, understanding light and shadow on simple forms, and capturing the texture of fabric with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in composing a still life arrangement.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition of the still life, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Block in the main color areas of the background, table, and cloth with thin washes.
step 03
Establish the darkest shadows and lightest highlights on the pitcher, bowl, and apples.
step 04
Begin layering colors to build up the form and volume of each object, focusing on color temperature changes.
step 05
Add details to the cloth, capturing the folds and creases with short, directional brushstrokes.
step 06
Refine the edges of the objects and adjust the values to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Add highlights to the apples to make them appear more realistic.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a harmonious and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · violet · cadmium yellow

Mix various shades of blue by combining ultramarine with white and small amounts of violet or yellow ochre. Create the apple colors by blending yellow, red, and touches of brown. Use white with small amounts of blue and yellow ochre to create the cloth.

techniques

·broken color
·scumbling
·color layering
·impasto
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to accurately capture the proportions of the objects.
→Using colors that are too saturated or intense.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the highlights and shadows.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (ultramarine blue, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, violet, cadmium yellow)
·palette
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·palette knife
·rags