plate no. 2405

Still life with portrait of Pertseva

Konstantín Korovin, 1916

oil, canvasImpressionismflower paintingflowersvaseportraitwindowstill lifefigure

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing for subtle variations and capturing light and shadow with visible brushstrokes. It also provides practice in composing a scene with multiple elements and creating a sense of depth.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the vases, the window, and the figure.
step 02
Block in the background colors, focusing on the warm tones behind the figure and the cool tones of the window.
step 03
Establish the basic shapes and colors of the flowers, paying attention to the variations in hue and value.
step 04
Begin to define the form of the vases, using darker tones for shadows and lighter tones for highlights.
step 05
Add details to the figure, focusing on capturing the soft light and subtle features.
step 06
Refine the brushwork, using short, broken strokes to create texture and movement.
step 07
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and form.
step 08
Step back and assess the overall composition, making any necessary adjustments.

color palette

primary · titanium white · cadmium red · ultramarine blue · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · viridian green · alizarin crimson

Achieve the subtle pinks in the flowers by mixing cadmium red and titanium white, and the greens by mixing yellow ochre and ultramarine blue. Use burnt sienna and ultramarine blue to create the dark tones in the vase.

techniques