plate no. 3839
After the bath
Mary Cassatt, 1901
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting skin tones, rendering fabric textures with loose brushstrokes, and capturing the interaction between figures.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 15 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch of the composition, focusing on the placement and proportions of the figures.
- step 02
Block in the main color areas: skin tones, background, clothing, and towel.
- step 03
Begin layering and blending colors to create depth and form in the figures.
- step 04
Pay close attention to the subtle color variations in the skin tones, using thin washes of color.
- step 05
Develop the textures of the clothing and towel with visible brushstrokes.
- step 06
Refine the details of the faces, focusing on the eyes and mouths.
- step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create a sense of volume and light.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the colors and values to achieve a harmonious composition.
color palette
primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · ultramarine blue
secondary · cadmium red · viridian green · ivory black
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, and burnt sienna, with small amounts of red and blue for shadows. Achieve the fabric colors by mixing the primary colors with white to create muted tones.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·scumbling
- ·glazing
- ·wet-on-wet blending
- ·color layering
common pitfalls
- →Overblending the skin tones, resulting in a flat appearance.
- →Using too much detail, losing the impressionistic feel.
- →Ignoring the subtle color variations in the shadows.
- →Not paying attention to the proportions of the figures.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas 18x24
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt sienna oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
- ·linseed oil
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·painting medium
- ·easel
Use a medium-tooth canvas for best results. Consider using a fast-drying medium to speed up the drying time.
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