plate no. 7517

Still life with plant (Unfinished)

Iman Shaggag, 1997

watercolor, paperImpressionismstill lifeplantpotstill lifetablebowlleaves

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students practice loose watercolor techniques and color mixing to achieve subtle variations in tone. It also provides practice in capturing light and shadow with transparent washes.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 4 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the plant, pot, table, and bowl.
step 02
Apply a light wash of yellow to the background, allowing it to dry.
step 03
Paint the pot with a mix of yellow and orange, adding darker tones for shadows.
step 04
Use varying shades of green to paint the leaves, layering washes to create depth.
step 05
Paint the table surface with a mix of gray and yellow, capturing the light and shadow.
step 06
Add the red bowl with a concentrated red pigment, adding a shadow underneath.
step 07
Refine the details and add any final touches, such as highlights on the pot and leaves.
step 08
Allow the painting to dry completely.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · sap green · burnt sienna

secondary · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · raw umber

Mix yellow ochre with a touch of burnt sienna for the pot. Varying shades of green can be achieved by mixing sap green with yellow ochre or ultramarine blue. Use raw umber and ultramarine blue for the gray tones of the table.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·layering washes
·dry brush texture
·color mixing

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting with too many layers.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Not allowing washes to dry completely before adding more layers.
→Making the shadows too dark and overpowering.

materials

surface · watercolor paper 90lb

required

·watercolor paints
·watercolor paper 90lb
·#6 round brush
·#2 round brush
·water container
·palette
·pencil

optional

·masking fluid
·palette knife
·kneaded eraser

Use good quality watercolor paper to prevent buckling. Experiment with different brush sizes to achieve various effects. Use clean water for mixing colors and rinsing brushes.

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