plate no. 0249

Café Lafayette (Portrait of Kay Laurel)

William James Glackens, 1914

oilImpressionismportraitportraitwomancafehattableglass

some experience helpful

This painting provides a good opportunity to practice loose brushwork and color mixing to create subtle variations in skin tones and fabric. Students can learn to capture a likeness without relying on precise details.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 10 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the woman, hat, and surrounding elements.
step 02
Establish the background with broad strokes, focusing on the overall color and tone.
step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the woman's skin, clothing, and hat.
step 04
Begin to refine the shapes and add details, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 05
Mix and apply subtle color variations to create depth and form.
step 06
Add details like the glass and the table, keeping the brushwork loose.
step 07
Refine the facial features, focusing on capturing the expression.
step 08
Add final touches and highlights to complete the painting.

color palette

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

secondary · yellow ochre · alizarin crimson

Mix white with small amounts of blue, red, and umber to create the skin tones and clothing. Use red and umber for the darker areas and shadows. Yellow ochre can be used to warm up the skin tones.

techniques

·broken color
·wet-on-wet blending
·scumbling
·color layering
·alla prima

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, impressionistic feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing them.
→Not paying attention to the values and creating a flat, uninteresting painting.
→Struggling with proportions of the figure.