plate no. 3471

Still Life with a Ham

oilRococostill lifehamknifebottleradishesleavestablecloth

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in rendering realistic textures and creating depth through subtle value changes. It also provides practice in painting reflective surfaces and organic forms.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions and placement.
step 02
Establish the background with a thin wash of muted colors.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the ham, bottles, and radishes, focusing on the overall value structure.
step 04
Begin refining the shapes and adding details to the ham, including highlights and shadows.
step 05
Paint the bottles, paying attention to the reflections and transparency.
step 06
Add details to the radishes and leaves, capturing their textures and colors.
step 07
Refine the tablecloth, adding folds and shadows.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · sap green · ivory black · yellow ochre

Achieve the ham's color by mixing cadmium red light with raw umber and titanium white. Use ivory black and raw umber for the dark bottles. Mix sap green with yellow ochre for the leaves.

techniques

·glazing
·scumbling
·chiaroscuro
·blending
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details too early in the process.
→Failing to establish a strong value structure.
→Using colors that are too saturated.
→Ignoring the subtle reflections and highlights.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·Stretched canvas 16x20
·Oil paints (raw umber, titanium white, cadmium red light, sap green, ivory black, yellow ochre)
·Linseed oil
·Odorless mineral spirits
·Assorted brushes (round and flat)
·Palette
·Palette knife
·Rags