plate no. 4858

Still Life with Flowers

Tetyana Yablonska, 1979

oil, canvasImpressionismflower paintingflowersvasestill lifetablefoliage

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in impasto techniques and broken color application to create texture and depth. It also encourages observation of subtle color variations within a limited palette.

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 vase and the overall flower arrangement.
step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes of gray and blue, creating a textured surface.
step 03
Block in the main colors of the vase using browns and oranges, focusing on the light and shadow.
step 04
Begin adding the foliage with greens and yellows, using short, broken strokes to create texture.
step 05
Introduce the flower colors, using dabs and strokes of white, yellow, pink, and red.
step 06
Build up the impasto texture by layering paint and using a palette knife or thick brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the details of the flowers and leaves, paying attention to the direction of light.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the overall impressionistic effect.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson · sap green

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors and adding white. The vase color is a mix of burnt umber, yellow ochre, and touches of red. The background is created by mixing white with blues and grays.

techniques