Still life with portrait of Pertseva

Light enters from the left through a blue-toned window, casting warm golden-orange tones across the right wall and the figure's face. The composition is anchored by two ceramic vases of flowers positioned vertically down the center, with a woman's portrait emerging from shadow in the upper right. Your eye enters through the bright window on the left, travels across the warm wall, and settles on the figure's face and the pink-rose blooms at eye level.

The darkest darks are concentrated in the window panes (deep blue-black) and the figure's hair and dress shadows. Mid-tones dominate most of the composition—the warm terracotta walls and vases sit in a narrow middle range. The lightest lights appear in the window's blue reflection, the figure's face and neck, and scattered through the white flower petals. Squint and you'll see three distinct value zones: dark window, warm mid-tone background, and bright accent lights on skin and flowers.

• #3a363d

  Ultramarine Blue + Burnt Umber + Titanium White (for window shadows)

  Window panes, deepest shadows in vases, figure's hair and collar folds

• #ab6f55

  Light Red + Yellow Ochre + Titanium White

  Dominant warm wall behind figure, upper vase body, shadows on face

• #8f5343

  Burnt Sienna + Alizarin Crimson + touch of Ultramarine

  Lower vase, deep shadows within flower arrangement, dress fabric

• #6f717a

  Ultramarine Blue + Raw Umber + Titanium White

  Blue-grey tone in window reflection, cool shadows on figure's dress

• #8f8883

  Yellow Ochre + Ultramarine Blue + Titanium White (warm grey)

  Mid-tone transitions on vases, fabric highlights, warm greys in background

Edges vary dramatically—the window frame has crisp, geometric precision while flower petals and foliage use soft, feathered brushwork that breaks into the background. The figure's face transitions from softer modeling in shadow to firmer definition where light hits the cheek and forehead. Visible individual brushstrokes throughout—no blending to smoothness; the paint sits layered and directional, especially in the warm wall area where horizontal strokes suggest both wall surface and light direction.

1. 01

   Block in the window structure and value zones

   Using a #8 flat brush, block in the blue window panes with Ultramarine + White on the left third of your canvas. Establish the warm terracotta-orange for the wall behind and to the right of the figure. Keep these broad—aim to see three value zones (dark window, warm wall, light accent areas) clearly before any detail.

2. 02

   Place the two vase masses and figure silhouette

   Block in the two ceramic vases as warm burnt-sienna-brown vertical forms using the #8 flat brush. Rough in the woman's head, neck, and shoulder contour in light peachy tone. Don't model yet—just establish where these major forms sit relative to the window and wall. The upper vase should align roughly with the figure's face height.

3. 03

   Map the flower arrangement structure

   Using a #4 round, lightly sketch the dominant flower clusters—notice the large pink roses mass in the center of the upper vase and another cluster at the base of the lower vase. Mark where dark foliage sits (blacks and deep greens) to create the negative shapes that flowers will read against. Don't paint individual blooms yet; establish the cloud-like masses and their overlap.

4. 04

   Develop the figure's face with warm light and cool shadow

   Using the #4 round and a mix of Yellow Ochre + Alizarin + White for the lit side of the face, model the cheek, forehead, and visible neck. The shadow side (right side of face) receives cooler grey-blue (Ultramarine + Burnt Umber + White). Notice how the warm light wraps around the left side—her face is almost a gradient from warm-lit to cool-shadowed. Leave the eyes as simple dark marks for now.

5. 05

   Layer warm and cool tones in the vases

   Paint the visible ceramic surface with warm mid-brown (Burnt Sienna + Ochre), then layer darker Burnt Sienna + Ultramarine into creases and shadow edges. The vases aren't uniform—notice how the upper one catches more warm reflected light from the wall, while the lower vase sits more in shadow. Use the palette knife to indicate rough texture and edge, not smooth ceramic smoothness.

6. 06

   Paint dark foliage masses and flower highlights

   Using dark Ultramarine + Alizarin + touch of Cadmium Yellow (for naturalistic dark green-black), paint the foliage shapes around and within the flowers. Keep these visible and graphic—they're not meant to disappear. Then use a light pink (Alizarin + lots of White + tiny touch of Cadmium Yellow) and pale yellow for the brightest flower petals. The white and pale pink petals especially catch light where they face the window.

7. 07

   Refine the window reflection and background wall warmth

   Strengthen the blue window panes (Ultramarine + Cerulean + White) to create clear geometric contrast against warm surroundings. Paint the background wall with horizontal, visible brushstrokes in warm orange-brown (Light Red + Yellow Ochre + White), layering slightly darker strokes to suggest form and light direction. The strokes should feel directional—not blended smooth, but suggesting how light moves across a flat plane.

8. 08

   Final refinement: edges, accents, and fabric folds

   Using the #4 round, sharpen edges where the figure's silhouette meets the warm wall—her dress reads as cool grey-blue against warm background. Add darker definition to her hair (dark Ultramarine + Alizarin + touch of Cadmium Yellow for natural black). Place final light accents on the brightest flower petals and catch-lights on the vases. Soften some flower-to-background edges while keeping others crisp to maintain depth.

• Treating the background wall as a flat, uniform color—it's layered with visible strokes that follow a directional light logic. Avoid overblending; let warm orange and cream tones sit adjacently.
• Making the flowers look photorealistic or overly detailed. The blooms read as color masses and petal suggestions—pink, white, and yellow shapes against dark foliage. Loose is correct here.
• Losing the cool-to-warm gradient on the figure's face. The shadow side must feel distinctly blue-grey while the lit side glows warm. This contrast is what makes her emerge from the warm background.
• Painting the vases as smooth, shiny ceramic. They're more sculptural and matte—use visible brushstrokes and a slight palette-knife texture to avoid gloss.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility