plate no. 7030

Baba and Billy (portrait of the artist's daughter, Vivian)

John Duncan, 1920

oilSymbolismportraitportraitchildcatswanfoliagedress

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering soft light. It also provides practice in depicting textures, such as the fur of the cat and the fabric of the dress.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the child, cat, and background elements.
step 02
Establish the main light source and shadow areas on the face and dress.
step 03
Block in the background colors, focusing on the overall tone and mood.
step 04
Begin layering colors on the face, building up the skin tones gradually.
step 05
Add details to the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying attention to subtle variations in color and value.
step 06
Paint the cat, using short, broken brushstrokes to create the texture of the fur.
step 07
Refine the details of the dress, adding highlights and shadows to create depth.
step 08
Add final touches to the background, such as the swan and foliage.

color palette

primary · titanium white · raw umber · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue

secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · sap green

Mix skin tones by blending white, red, umber, and a touch of blue. Achieve the black cat's fur by mixing ivory black with a touch of raw umber and ultramarine blue for depth.

techniques