plate no. 5988

Thyme and Laurel

Avigdor Arikha, 1996

oilContemporary Realismflower paintingplantpottablestill lifeflowersleaves

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice layering colors with pastels and creating texture with visible strokes. It also encourages observation of subtle value changes to depict form and light.

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: the table, tray, pot, and plant mass.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color for the table, tray, and background.
step 03
Add darker values to define the shadows on the tray and pot.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the plant, starting with the darker greens and browns.
step 05
Add highlights to the leaves and flowers with lighter greens, yellows, and whites.
step 06
Refine the details of the pot and tray, paying attention to the edges and highlights.
step 07
Blend and soften edges where needed to create a cohesive image.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to the plant to create a sense of depth and texture.

color palette

primary · burnt umber · black · white · brown

secondary · yellow ochre · sap green · olive green

Mix browns and blacks with white to create lighter values for the table and tray. Use yellow ochre and sap green to create the various shades of green for the plant.

techniques

·layering
·blending
·scumbling
·hatching

common pitfalls

→Over-blending, resulting in a muddy appearance.
→Not establishing a clear value structure early on.
→Ignoring the subtle color variations in the plant.
→Making the edges too sharp and defined.

materials

surface · Pastel paper

required

·Oil pastels
·Paper (pastel paper or drawing paper)
·Kneaded eraser
·Blending stumps
·Fixative spray
·Pencil

optional

·Palette knife
·Workable fixative

Choose a pastel paper with a slightly rough texture to grip the pastels well. Use workable fixative sparingly between layers to prevent over-saturation of the paper.

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