plate no. 9706

Still Life with Bowl of Fruit by a Window

Roderic O'Conor, 1924

oilPost-Impressionismstill lifestill lifefruitbowlwindowjarinterior

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to mix muted colors and create form using subtle value changes. It also provides practice in capturing the texture of different surfaces with visible brushstrokes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar neutral tone.
step 03
Block in the main color areas for the background, jar, bowl, and fruit.
step 04
Begin refining the shapes and values of the objects, focusing on the light and shadow patterns.
step 05
Add details to the jar, including the blue and yellow bands.
step 06
Develop the texture of the bowl and fruit with thicker paint and visible brushstrokes.
step 07
Adjust the colors and values throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and harmony.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre · burnt sienna

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors (e.g., red and green, blue and orange) with white. Use yellow ochre and raw umber as base tones and adjust with small amounts of other colors.

techniques