How to Paint White Mums in Oils: Step-by-Step

First posted in 2013 – upated in 2026

White Mums features a blue and white vase with white chrysanthemums (of course). Unlike most of the flowers I use, these were not from our garden but store-bought from a charming little flower store inside a local supermarket, ha. I love the way light plays with the surfaces, especially the depth and reflectivity of the vase and how it contrasts with the mum’s flat, light-absorbing leaves and stems. There are also the added elements of the mum’s spidery white petals and the glossy granite surface of our kitchen island.

Step 1-4: Drawing, Block-in with wash

At this stage, the painting hardly looks anything like what I have described. But it will.

The above pictures shows the first four steps of the painting. All my paintings start with an underdrawing. That is the bones that all else hangs upon. After the drawing, come color washes for the background to give me a middle tone to work off of. Use rags and brushes; I then lift color to define the lighter shape. Then block in a solid underpainting with darker passages that will give the painting depth and glow at a later stage.

I will be doing quite a bit of color modulation in this piece. I hope to create a painting that will feel solid yet light and airy.

Step 5-8: Building Details

The mums are coming along just fine. After the initial block in and color lift, I contoured the vase a bit and worked on the flower pedals. And in the bottom row, the blossoms have become quite yellow. That is all part of the plan. That underpainting, along with the in-red in the shadows under them (anchoring them to the surface), will be very useful as the piece progresses. This painting will be about the whiteness of the mums, but white is rarely really white, is it?

Step 9: Finished

The final steps are refining, fixing edges by making them softer or harder to get the feel I am looking for. And the finished painting.

Mums and Chinese Vase
20×16 inches | oil on canvas

FAVORITE BOOKS

Great instruction and wonderful inspiration for all level.

Alla Prima II Everything I Know about Painting by Richard Schmid
Richard Schmid, the legendary artist, offers the ultimate guide for both aspiring and experienced painters. Drawing on his classical training and years of painting and teaching, Schmid shares the techniques and insights that have established him as a master of alla prima. With warmth, clarity, and authority, he makes complex concepts easy to understand. His lessons provide valuable guidance for artists working in any style. I strongly encourage you to add this treasure to your collection. Learn More

Alla Prima II Companion: Richard Schmid's Materials, Tools and Techniques
Richard Schmid's Materials, Tools and Techniques - By Katie Swatland. The path to creating great works of art begins with knowing the capabilities of your materials and tools.Contained within the pages of this book are detailed descriptions of the processes that go into the creation of a painting.
Learn More

Luminous: The Art of Michael Lynn Adams
Painter Michael Lynn Adams explores how his childhood nurtured his artistic curiosity and shares methods for creating luminous works, illustrated with over 95 paintings and drawings.
Learn More

Lessons in Classical Painting: Essential Techniques from Inside the Atelier by Juliette Aristides
Lessons in Classical Painting presents aspiring artists with the fundamental skills and tools needed to master painting in the atelier style. With more than 25 years of experience in ateliers and as an art instructor, Aristides pairs personal examples and insights with theory, assignments, and demonstrations for readers, discussions of technical issues, and inspirational quotes.
Learn More

The Art of Still Life by Todd M. Casey
The Art of Still Life offers a comprehensive, contemporary approach to the subject that instructs artists on the foundation basics and advanced techniques they need for successful drawing and painting. In addition to Casey's stunning paintings, the work of over fifty past and present masters is included, so that the book is both a hardworking how-to manual and a visual treasure trove of some of the finest still life art throughout history and today.
Learn More

The Art Spirit by Robert Henri
"Art when really understood is the province of every human being." So begins The Art Spirit, the collected words, teachings, and wisdom of innovative artist and beloved teacher Robert Henri. Henri, who painted in the Realist style and was a founding member of the Ashcan School, was known for his belief in interactive nature of creativity and inspiration, and the enduring power of art.
Learn More

Painting How To