plate no. 0583

Still Life, Flowers in a Vase

oil, canvasRococostill lifeflowersvasestill lifetablebackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing to achieve subtle variations and in rendering the form of a vase with light and shadow. It also provides practice in capturing the delicate nature of flowers.

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 the overall arrangement of the flowers.
step 02
Block in the background with a mid-tone brown, paying attention to the subtle variations in color.
step 03
Establish the main values on the vase, indicating the light and shadow areas.
step 04
Begin adding the blue and white patterns on the vase, focusing on the wavy design.
step 05
Start painting the flowers, working from the larger shapes to the smaller details.
step 06
Mix and apply the various colors of the flowers, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 07
Add the fallen flower on the table, considering its placement and shadow.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values to create a cohesive and balanced composition.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · titanium white · ultramarine blue · cadmium red

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · alizarin crimson

Mix various shades of brown for the background and table by combining burnt umber, white, and touches of yellow ochre or red. Achieve the blue on the vase by mixing ultramarine blue with white, and create the flower colors by blending red, white, and touches of other colors.

techniques