plate no. 3190

Still Life With Wine Bottle and Lemons

Henri Catargi, 1926

oilPost-Impressionismstill lifebottlelemonstabledraperystill life

suitable for beginners

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in color mixing, capturing subtle light and shadow, and rendering simple forms with volume. It's a good exercise in observing and translating three-dimensional objects onto a two-dimensional surface.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and composition: the bottle, lemons, table, and background.
step 02
Block in the main color areas for each object, focusing on the overall values.
step 03
Start refining the shapes and adding details to the bottle, paying attention to the highlights and shadows.
step 04
Work on the lemons, capturing their roundness and color variations.
step 05
Develop the drapery, creating folds and shadows to give it depth.
step 06
Refine the table, adding details to the legs and top surface.
step 07
Adjust the background colors and values to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · yellow ochre · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow light · alizarin crimson

Mix greens by combining yellow ochre and ivory black. Create muted tones by mixing complementary colors. Use white to lighten values and create highlights.

techniques