plate no. 4955

Still Life with Music Scroll

Georges Braque, 1937

oil, canvasCubismstill lifestill lifeguitarfruittablescrollvessels

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students understand cubist principles of fragmentation and multiple perspectives, as well as practice color mixing to achieve muted and harmonious tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the overlapping forms.
step 02
Divide the canvas into geometric sections, loosely following the original painting's structure.
step 03
Begin blocking in the main color areas, using a limited palette of earth tones and muted colors.
step 04
Gradually build up layers of color, paying attention to the subtle shifts in value and hue within each section.
step 05
Define the edges of the shapes with darker lines or contrasting colors to create depth and separation.
step 06
Add details such as the guitar strings, fruit, and patterns on the background and tablecloth.
step 07
Refine the overall composition by adjusting the colors and values as needed.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to enhance the sense of form and texture.

color palette

primary · ochre · burnt umber · gray · raw sienna

secondary · red · green · yellow · white

Mix earth tones with white to create muted shades. Use small amounts of complementary colors to create subtle color variations and avoid overly bright colors.

techniques