plate no. 3938

Still Life with Cat and Onions

Boris Grigoriev, 1928

oilExpressionismstill lifeonionscatstill lifewindowvegetablesnight

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice layering colors to create depth and form, and using expressive brushstrokes to convey texture and mood. It's also a good exercise in capturing the essence of a subject rather than photorealistic detail.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the onions, cat, and window frame, paying attention to their placement and proportions.
step 02
Block in the background with dark blue and black, using broad brushstrokes.
step 03
Apply a base layer of yellow and brown to the onions, varying the tones to suggest light and shadow.
step 04
Add green to the onion stalks, blending the colors to create a natural transition.
step 05
Paint the cat with dark grays and blacks, using short, expressive strokes to define its form and fur.
step 06
Add highlights to the onions and cat to create depth and dimension.
step 07
Paint the window frame with dark brown, using a dry brush technique to create texture.
step 08
Add the white lines on the table using a thin brush.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · sap green · cadmium red · ivory black

Mix different shades of yellow and brown for the onions. Create dark blues by mixing ultramarine blue and burnt umber. Use white to lighten colors and create highlights.

techniques

·dry brushing
·layering
·blending
·expressive brushstrokes
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overblending the colors, resulting in a flat, lifeless image.
→Not paying attention to the proportions of the onions and cat.
→Using too much detail, losing the expressive quality of the original.
→Making the background too bright, which would detract from the foreground.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas (16x20 inches)
·oil paints (yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, burnt umber, titanium white, sap green, cadmium red, ivory black)
·assorted brushes (round, flat, filbert)
·palette
·palette knife
·linseed oil
·odorless mineral spirits
·rags