plate no. 8402
Wildflowers
Odilon Redon, 1906
recreation guide
Odilon Redon’s *Wildflowers* (1906) represents a late-career exploration of floral subjects, executed in oil on canvas. While the provided metadata classifies the style as 'Realism,' Redon is historically renowned for his Symbolist and 'Noir' periods; however, his later floral works often exhibit a softer, more atmospheric approach that bridges realism with impressionistic light effects. The recreation of this work relies heavily on the traditional oil painting techniques described in the sources, particularly the use of a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) followed by transparent glazing and semi-opaque scumbling to achieve depth and luminosity (Source 1). The process emphasizes the optical mixing of colors through layering rather than direct application, allowing the underlying tones to influence the final hue, a method consistent with the 'old masters' practice cited in the texts.
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing significant drying time between glaze layers)
materials
8 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas or wood panel | Support surface | Primed linen or cotton canvas |
| Gesso or size (cheese paste/caseine) | To seal the support and create a white ground | Acrylic gesso or rabbit skin glue |
| Oil paints (Black, Ultramarine, White) | For the initial grisaille underpainting | Standard oil paints |
| Yellow and Red pigments | For glazing and scumbling layers | Cadmium Yellow/Red or modern equivalents like Hansa Yellow/Red |
| Linseed oil or Poppy seed oil | Binder and medium for glazing | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Turpentine | Thinner for initial washes | Odorless mineral spirits |
| Varnish (e.g., copal or damar) | Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and drying speed | Artist's glazing medium or resin varnish |
| White palette | To judge color transparency and maintain lightness | White ceramic or glass palette |
preparation
surface prep
The surface should be sized with a white ground, such as cheese paste (caseine) or a similar sizing, to ensure the tones have the same effect on the canvas as they do on the palette (Source 8). The ground must be white and impervious to oil to allow for correct judgment of color transparency (Source 8). If using watercolor for the initial sketch, a coat of painting varnish should be laid over it to seal it before oil application (Source 8).
underdrawing
The outline may be done in watercolors or oils. If watercolors are used on a sized canvas, they must be sealed with a coat of painting varnish before proceeding with oil (Source 8). The drawing should focus on the contour and mass of the flowers rather than minute details, establishing the composition's structure (Source 6).
underpainting
A grisaille (monochrome) underpainting is essential. This should be executed using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia (or a similar medium) to establish the values and forms without color (Source 1). This layer must be completely dry before proceeding. The artist should mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would remain in nature if those colors were absent (Source 1).
color palette
Black
Ivory Black or Lamp Black
Grisaille underpainting and shadows
Ultramarine
Ultramarine Blue
Grisaille underpainting, providing cool mid-tones
White
Titanium or Lead White
Grisaille highlights and mixing tints
Yellow
Yellow Ochre or Cadmium Yellow
Glazing and scumbling to introduce warmth and light
Red
Vermilion or Cadmium Red
Glazing and scumbling to introduce floral hues and depth
composition
While specific compositional details of *Wildflowers* are not described in the sources, Redon’s general practice involves organizing elements to create visual harmony. The composition should balance the positive space of the flowers with the negative space, using line and shape to guide the eye (Source 7). The arrangement should consider the law of simultaneous contrast, ensuring that adjacent colors enhance each other’s intensity rather than clash (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the outline of the wildflowers using watercolors or thin oil washes. Focus on the contour and mass of the forms.
Tip — Ensure the drawing is sealed with varnish if watercolor is used on canvas.
Contour drawing
underpainting
step 02
Apply a grisaille layer using black, ultramarine, and white. Establish all light and shadow values. Do not use red or yellow yet.
Tip — Mentally exclude red and yellow to focus on value structure.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Once the grisaille is completely dry, begin glazing with transparent coats of yellow and red tones mixed with oil.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent layers to build up color intensity without obscuring the underpainting.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms, and over lighter areas to soften transitions.
Tip — Watch for the underlying painting showing through; this creates depth.
Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast. Ensure that adjacent colors are modified by their complements to achieve harmony.
Tip — Check for color fatigue; step back frequently to assess true hues.
Simultaneous Contrast
varnishing
step 06
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the sheen of the oil layers.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully dry to prevent cracking.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing
Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build luminosity and depth. This is a traditional method used by old masters and recommended for achieving rich color without muddiness.
Scumbling
Applying semi-opaque paint over a dry layer to allow the underlying tone to show through, creating texture and subtle color shifts, particularly useful for creating 'grey blooms' or softening edges.
Simultaneous Contrast
Adjusting colors based on their interaction with adjacent hues. The painter must perceive how colors modify each other to achieve harmony and accurate representation.
common pitfalls
- →Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can lead to cracking or muddying of the layers.
- →Ignoring simultaneous contrast, resulting in colors that appear dull or inaccurate due to the influence of adjacent hues.
- →Using a non-white palette, which can distort the perception of color transparency and value.
- →Overworking the scumble layer, which can obscure the underlying grisaille and reduce the depth of the painting.
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific pigment formulations used by Redon in 1906 are not detailed in the sources.
- ·The exact composition and arrangement of flowers in *Wildflowers* are not described, requiring reference to the actual artwork or external images.
- ·Redon’s specific brushwork style for this piece is not covered, though general oil painting techniques are provided.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous Contrast — applied to Color harmony and adjustment during finishing
The Science of Painting↗
- OUTLINE AND EXECUTION OF A PICTURE IN OILS — applied to Surface preparation, sizing, and underdrawing methods
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — applied to General materials and varnishing
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- Contour drawing — applied to Underdrawing approach
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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