plate no. 1813

Still Life

Émilie Charmy, 1904

oilPost-Impressionismstill lifestill lifefruittableplatebackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and color mixing to create form and texture. It also provides practice in simplifying complex shapes and capturing the essence of a subject.

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 pumpkins, plate, and background.
step 02
Block in the main color areas for the background, table, and pumpkins with thin washes.
step 03
Start building up layers of color on the pumpkins, using short, expressive brushstrokes.
step 04
Define the shapes and contours of the pumpkins with darker and lighter values, paying attention to the light source.
step 05
Add details to the plate and table, using a variety of brushstrokes to create texture.
step 06
Refine the background with layers of color and texture, creating depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Add the green tendrils, using bold strokes.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors, values, and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · red · orange · green · blue

secondary · yellow · white · brown

Achieve the pumpkin colors by mixing reds, oranges, yellows, and greens. Use white to lighten the colors and create highlights. Mix browns and blues for shadows.

techniques