plate no. 5420

Still Life With Pomegranates

oilFauvismstill lifestill lifepomegranatespitchertablefruit

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students practice simplifying shapes and using a limited color palette to create a bold, expressive still life. It also encourages experimentation with visible brushstrokes to add texture and energy.

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 pitcher and pomegranates, focusing on their relative positions.
step 02
Block in the background with a darker shade of red, leaving space for the table.
step 03
Paint the table surface with a lighter shade of red, creating a clear distinction from the background.
step 04
Mix a warm orange for the pitcher and apply it in broad strokes, leaving some areas lighter and darker to suggest form.
step 05
Paint the pomegranates with varying shades of red, adding darker tones for shadows and lighter tones for highlights.
step 06
Add the white rim to the pitcher and the cut pomegranate, using thick, visible brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the shapes and edges of the objects, paying attention to the negative space around them.
step 08
Add final touches and details, such as subtle variations in color and texture.

color palette

primary · red · orange · white

secondary · dark red · light red

Mix different shades of red by adding white or a touch of black. Create orange by mixing red and yellow. Use white sparingly to highlight areas.

techniques

·blocking in
·visible brushstrokes
·color mixing
·simplifying shapes
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality of the brushstrokes.
→Creating muddy colors by over-mixing.
→Not paying attention to the relationships between the objects and the background.
→Making the shapes too precise and losing the sense of spontaneity.