plate no. 3362

Still life with a burning candle

oilBaroquestill lifecandleglassbooksstill lifetableeyeglasses

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand chiaroscuro and how light interacts with different surfaces like glass, metal, and paper. It also provides practice in rendering realistic textures and details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Prepare a canvas with a dark ground (e.g., burnt umber wash).
step 02
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 04
Start refining the shapes and adding details, working from dark to light.
step 05
Carefully render the candle flame and its effect on surrounding objects.
step 06
Build up the highlights and reflections on the glass and metal objects.
step 07
Add subtle details like the text in the book and the texture of the paper.
step 08
Glaze with thin layers to adjust colors and values, creating depth.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black · titanium white

secondary · yellow ochre · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Achieve the golden tones by mixing yellow ochre, raw sienna, and a touch of burnt umber. Create the dark shadows with burnt umber and ivory black. Use white sparingly for highlights.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·rendering reflections
·underpainting

common pitfalls

→overworking details too early
→not establishing a strong value structure
→making highlights too bright too soon
→ignoring subtle color variations

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (12x16 or similar)
·oil paints (burnt umber, raw sienna, ivory black, titanium white, yellow ochre)
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·assorted brushes (round and flat)
·palette
·palette knife
·rags