1. The base composition was drawn using pencils, charcoal, and sanguine.

2. Next, a watercolour wash in Ochre and Burnt Sienna unified the composition (you can still see traces of this step in the lower left). More watercolour layers were added to enhance the table, the jug, and the fabric. The cloth was first covered with a bluish-green hue to give it depth.

3. The green drapery on the right was created using watercolour markers, varying the amount of water in different areas. The fruits were carefully coloured using the dual tips of the Lyra Aquabrush Duo markers: combining yellow and orange adds a sense of volume.
Tip: note the use of charcoal over the dried green fabric to accentuate the folds and create stronger relief.

4. An important step follows: applying white acrylic paint to the background and the cloth. This creates a sense of transparency and enriches the pictorial quality of the elements. They seem to “vibrate” and gain in intensity.

Advice: when working on a light subject, don’t hesitate to apply darker tones first—they’ll add power to the final result. A layer of white will react differently on a blank surface than on a coloured one, so experiment by combining watercolour first, then acrylic, to achieve the desired effects.

Bonus tip:
Once the white surfaces are dry, you can add another layer of watercolour, which will act as a glaze.

What is a glaze?
A glaze is a thin, transparent layer applied over a dry, thicker one. It acts like a coloured glass, altering the tone beneath without changing the texture. This technique preserves the underlying material while allowing you to play with light and shadow through transparency.

Text by Dominique Pascaud, graduate of the Beaux-Arts de Paris and holder of a degree in Fine Arts from Bordeaux, author of “Aquarelle, je me lance” and “Peindre les oiseaux à l’aquarelle” (Massin Editions).