Vase of Flowers on a Console

approach — 8 steps

color palette

primary · crimson · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · ivory black

secondary · sap green · burnt umber · cadmium red light

Achieve the muted tones by mixing complementary colors (e.g., red and green, blue and orange). Use white sparingly to lighten colors, and add black to darken them.

techniques

• ·alla prima
• ·broken color
• ·scumbling
• ·glazing
• ·dry brushing

common pitfalls

• →Overworking the details and losing the loose, expressive quality of the original.
• →Using colors that are too bright or saturated, resulting in a painting that lacks depth.
• →Failing to establish a strong value structure, leading to a flat and unconvincing image.
• →Not paying attention to the subtle color variations within shadows and highlights.