Materials:
- Canvas or watercolor paper
- Pencil
- Acrylic or tempera paints
- Paintbrushes (one small and one large would be ideal)
- Flowers for reference (real or pictures)
- Water container
- Paper towels
- Smock and/or table coverings (acrylic paint is not washable from fabrics)
- An arrangement of your mom’s favorite things
Let’s show our appreciation for the mother figures in our lives by painting like Gabriele Münter! Münter was known for representing objects as simple shapes and using bold planes of color. There were often black outlines around objects in her works. Gather supplies, and follow the steps below to create a personalized still life for an important mother figure in your life.
1. Choose the objects for your still life. Think about your mom’s favorite things (books, plants, food, etc.) and create a still life with them.
2. Sketch the still life on your paper. Start with simple shapes—the basic shape of a book might be a rectangle and the basic shape of a flower might be a circle with petals. Keep your sketch simple and just focus on the outlines—or contours—of the objects.
3. Paint! Choose bright, bold colors. Try painting some areas with a small brush and others with a larger brush. It’s usually a good idea to begin with the lightest colors in your painting and gradually add darker colors. Leave the black paint until the end.
4. Don’t forget to paint a background. Choose colors that help your still life stand out. Maybe it’s a contrasting color. It could also be a lighter or darker version of a color you have already used.
5. Choose areas that you want to emphasize or stand out and outline those objects in black paint.
6. Sign your painting (Moms love that).
7. Give your painting! Then, share it with us at #OKCMOAathome.
Credit: Gabriele Münter (German, 1877–1962). Flowers and Fruit, 1949. Oil on board. OKCMOA. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Young, 2002.015. Photo: Joseph Mills