plate no. 8660

White Bellflowers

Tetyana Yablonska, 2005

pastel, paperImpressionismflower paintingflowersstill lifebellflowersvasefoliagepastel

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering pastel colors and creating a sense of depth through soft edges and atmospheric perspective. It's a good exercise in capturing the essence of a subject rather than precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the vase and flower arrangement.
step 02
Establish the background with soft, blended pastel strokes, focusing on creating a hazy, atmospheric effect.
step 03
Block in the dark green areas of the foliage and vase, using broad strokes.
step 04
Add lighter green and yellow tones to the foliage to create highlights and variations in color.
step 05
Begin adding the white bellflowers, using short, broken strokes to suggest their form and texture.
step 06
Use a blending stump or your finger to soften edges and blend colors, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 07
Add final details, such as darker lines to define the stems and highlights to accentuate the flowers.
step 08
Preserve with a fixative spray.

color palette

primary · dark green · light green · white · gray

secondary · blue · yellow

Mix greens by blending blues and yellows. Achieve lighter tones by blending white with the primary colors. Use gray to soften and mute colors.

techniques

·pastel layering
·blending
·broken strokes
·atmospheric perspective
·scumbling

common pitfalls

→Overworking the pastel and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Creating harsh edges that detract from the soft, atmospheric effect.
→Using too much pressure, which can make the pastel look heavy and flat.
→Not layering colors sufficiently to create depth and variation.

materials

surface · pastel paper (toned)

required

·pastel set (soft pastels)
·pastel paper (toned)
·blending stump
·kneaded eraser
·fixative spray
·drawing board

optional

·palette knife
·workable fixative
·pastel pencils

Choose a pastel paper with a slightly textured surface to grip the pastel. A toned paper will help to establish the background color and create a sense of depth.

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