plate no. 3335

Cafe Scene (A Study of a Young Woman)

oil, canvasNew Realismgenre paintingfiguretableinteriorcafeportraitreflection

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating depth with value and brushstroke variations. It also provides practice in capturing the mood of an interior scene.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main figures and the table's checkerboard pattern, focusing on proportions.
step 02
Block in the background colors: the green wall, the dark areas, and the light reflection.
step 03
Establish the basic skin tones for the figures, using a limited palette and focusing on value.
step 04
Paint the woman's dress with bold brushstrokes, capturing the highlights and shadows.
step 05
Add details to the faces, refining the features and expressions.
step 06
Paint the checkerboard pattern on the table, paying attention to perspective and color variations.
step 07
Refine the details of the hands and the glass.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.

color palette

primary · raw umber · titanium white · cadmium red light

secondary · viridian · ivory black · yellow ochre

Mix skin tones using white, raw umber, and a touch of cadmium red light. Achieve the green background by mixing viridian with white and a touch of yellow ochre.

techniques