plate no. 1849

Still life

Oleg Holosiy, 1988

oilExpressionismstill lifestill lifevesselstableabstractbottles

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and layering techniques to create depth and texture. It also encourages exploration of limited color palettes and abstract representation.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and placement of the vessels on the canvas with a light pencil.
step 02
Apply a dark underpainting to the table area using a mix of black and brown.
step 03
Block in the general shapes of the vessels with dark browns and ochre, leaving some areas lighter for highlights.
step 04
Use thick, visible brushstrokes to build up the texture and form of the vessels.
step 05
Add highlights with lighter shades of ochre and white, focusing on areas where light hits the objects.
step 06
Create the background with a mix of muted browns, grays, and hints of pink, blending loosely.
step 07
Add drips and splatters of paint to enhance the expressive quality of the painting.
step 08
Refine details and adjust values to create depth and contrast.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · payne's gray · pink

Achieve the various brown tones by mixing burnt umber and raw umber with varying amounts of white. Use yellow ochre to create warm highlights and pink for subtle background variations.

techniques