plate no. 6099

Children Playing with a Cat

Mary Cassatt, 1908

oil, canvasImpressionismgenre paintingfigureschildrencatdomestic sceneclothinginterior

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow on skin tones and rendering fabric textures with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in composing a scene with multiple figures and a pet.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main figures and objects, focusing on proportions and placement.
step 02
Block in the background with broad strokes of color, establishing the overall tone.
step 03
Begin layering in the skin tones, using a mix of warm and cool colors to create depth.
step 04
Paint the clothing, paying attention to the folds and highlights.
step 05
Add details to the cat, capturing its fur texture and markings.
step 06
Refine the facial features of the children and mother.
step 07
Add final touches and highlights to create a sense of light and atmosphere.
step 08
Review and adjust colors and values as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson

secondary · burnt umber · cadmium yellow · cerulean blue · violet

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of alizarin crimson. Create the blues by mixing ultramarine blue with white and a hint of yellow. Use violet to create shadows.

techniques