plate no. 8911
Trnky II
Josef Capek, 1924
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students practice loose brushwork and color mixing to create subtle variations in tone. It also provides practice in capturing the essence of a subject rather than precise details.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the vase, flowers, and table.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of neutral colors.
- step 03
Establish the main shapes of the vase with light grays and blues.
- step 04
Add the dark blue stripes to the vase, keeping the edges soft.
- step 05
Begin adding the flowers, focusing on the overall shape and distribution rather than individual petals.
- step 06
Use small, broken brushstrokes to create the texture of the foliage.
- step 07
Refine the highlights and shadows on the vase and flowers.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust the overall composition.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · raw umber
secondary · ivory black · yellow ochre
Mix white with small amounts of raw umber and blue to create the various neutral tones. Use more blue for the vase and more umber for the background. Add touches of yellow ochre for warmth.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·alla prima
- ·color mixing
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality.
- →Making the colors too saturated and bright.
- →Creating harsh lines and edges.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·painting medium
Use a medium-textured canvas to enhance the brushstrokes. Consider using a limited palette to simplify color mixing.
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