plate no. 1579
White Flowers
Constantin Piliuta, 2001
suitable for beginners
This painting is great for practicing layering and creating form with subtle value changes. Students can also learn to simplify complex shapes into basic forms.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 6 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic shapes of the vases, flowers, and foliage.
- step 02
Apply a thin wash of light blue-green for the background.
- step 03
Block in the basic shapes of the vases with white, adding subtle shadows.
- step 04
Paint the flower heads with white, using textured brushstrokes to create depth.
- step 05
Add the stems and leaves with varying shades of green.
- step 06
Create the textured background element with thick white paint.
- step 07
Refine the details and add highlights to the flowers and vases.
- step 08
Add the artist's signature.
color palette
primary · titanium white · light blue-green
secondary · sap green · raw umber
Mix light blue-green by combining white with a touch of blue and green. Achieve subtle shadows by adding a small amount of raw umber to white.
techniques
- ·dry brush
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·blending
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details and losing the simplicity of the painting.
- →Making the colors too saturated.
- →Not creating enough contrast in the values.
- →Ignoring the texture of the brushstrokes.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·light blue oil paint
- ·sap green oil paint
- ·raw umber oil paint
- ·round brushes (various sizes)
- ·palette
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·medium gloss
- ·easel
Use a canvas with a smooth surface to allow for easy blending. Consider using a limited palette to simplify the color mixing process.
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