plate no. 1955
Still Life With Vase
Jan Mankes, 1914
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students understand how to create subtle value shifts and how to suggest form with soft edges. It's also a good exercise in limited palette painting and creating a moody atmosphere.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the vase, table, and flower stems, paying attention to proportions.
- step 02
Establish the dark background using a mix of browns and blacks.
- step 03
Block in the main colors of the table surface, focusing on the overall warm tone.
- step 04
Begin to build up the form of the vase, starting with the darkest shadows and gradually adding lighter tones.
- step 05
Pay attention to the highlight on the vase and the subtle color variations within the shadow.
- step 06
Add the flowers and stems, keeping them muted and dark to blend into the background.
- step 07
Refine the details of the vase and table, adding subtle textures and variations in color.
- step 08
Add final touches and glazes to unify the painting and create a sense of depth.
color palette
primary · burnt umber · raw sienna · ivory black
secondary · cadmium red (small amount) · yellow ochre
Achieve the muted tones by mixing browns with black and small amounts of red or yellow. Use white sparingly to create subtle highlights.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·scumbling
- ·soft blending
- ·chiaroscuro
- ·underpainting
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the soft, atmospheric effect.
- →Using too much white and creating harsh contrasts.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations within the shadows.
- →Not paying attention to the proportions of the vase.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas (12x16 inches)
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·raw sienna oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·round brushes (#2, #4, #6)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium (e.g., Liquin)
- ·varnish
Use a canvas with a smooth surface for easier blending. Consider toning the canvas with a thin wash of burnt umber before starting.
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