plate no. 3541

Still Life with Pitcher and Vase of Flowers

oilPointillismflower paintingflowerspitchervasestill lifetabletop

some experience helpful

This painting provides practice in color mixing and applying pointillist techniques to create form and texture. Students will learn to build up layers of color to achieve a cohesive image.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the pitcher, vase, bowl, and flowers, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish a light underpainting with diluted washes of color to define the overall composition.
step 03
Begin applying individual dots of color, starting with the background and working towards the foreground.
step 04
Focus on building up layers of color to create depth and dimension in the flowers and objects.
step 05
Pay attention to the color relationships between the objects and the background, using complementary colors to create contrast.
step 06
Refine the details of the flowers and objects, adding highlights and shadows to create form.
step 07
Continue layering dots of color until the desired effect is achieved.
step 08
Add final touches and adjustments to the painting.

color palette

primary · cadmium red · cadmium yellow · cerulean blue · titanium white

secondary · viridian green · burnt sienna

Mix various shades of orange and red for the flowers. Use white and blue to create the cool tones of the pitcher and bowl. Mix green and yellow for foliage.

techniques