plate no. 1760

Still Life

Willy Schlobach, 1913

oilImpressionismflower paintingflowersstill lifevasebouquettablefoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors, creating depth with value, and capturing the texture of flowers with expressive brushstrokes. It also provides practice in observing and mixing subtle color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the vase and flower arrangement, focusing on proportions and overall composition.
step 02
Establish the background color with a thin wash of dark green and brown.
step 03
Block in the main color masses of the flowers, using simplified shapes and values.
step 04
Begin layering colors within each flower, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 05
Use short, directional brushstrokes to define the petals and leaves, capturing their texture.
step 06
Refine the details of the vase, adding highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume.
step 07
Add the fallen flowers and leaves in the foreground, paying attention to their placement and relationship to the rest of the composition.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors, values, and details to achieve a cohesive and expressive painting.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson · titanium white · ultramarine blue

secondary · sap green · burnt umber · cadmium orange

Achieve the muted floral tones by mixing primary colors with white and small amounts of complementary colors. Use burnt umber and sap green to create the dark background and vase.

techniques

·broken color
·impasto
·scumbling
·wet-on-wet blending
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing and softening them.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure, resulting in a flat and lifeless painting.
→Neglecting the background and allowing it to compete with the flowers for attention.