plate no. 5854
Vase With Flowers
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for learning about simplifying shapes and using expressive brushstrokes to create texture. Students can practice color mixing to achieve the subtle variations in the background and vase.
technical profile
palette complexity
2
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 4 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 off-white paint.
- step 03
Paint the table surface with a warm yellow tone.
- step 04
Add the blue tones to the vase, suggesting its cylindrical form.
- step 05
Use short, choppy brushstrokes to create the round shapes of the yellow flowers.
- step 06
Add the green stems and leaves with quick, gestural strokes.
- step 07
Refine the shapes and colors, adding highlights and shadows.
- step 08
Add final details and adjust values as needed.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · titanium white · ultramarine blue
secondary · sap green · raw umber
Mix white with small amounts of yellow ochre and ultramarine blue to create the background. Use yellow ochre and a touch of raw umber for the table. Mix ultramarine blue with white for the vase, adding small amounts of raw umber for shadows.
techniques
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the expressive quality.
- →Making the colors too saturated and bright.
- →Not paying attention to the overall composition and balance.
- →Creating muddy colors by over-mixing on the palette.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·acrylic or oil paints
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·flat brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil (if using oil paints)
- ·mineral spirits or turpentine (for cleaning brushes)
optional
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
- ·apron
A small canvas size (e.g., 9x12 or 11x14) is recommended for beginners. Acrylics are a good choice for beginners due to their fast drying time.
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