plate no. 9737

Female bather

Vladimir Tatlin, 1930

oil, woodPost-Impressionismnude painting (nu)figurenudewomanbathroomtowelhair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice loose brushwork and capturing the human form with simplified shapes and values. It also provides an opportunity to explore color mixing for skin tones and creating a sense of atmosphere.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background elements.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with thin washes of diluted paint.
step 03
Begin building up the skin tones using a limited palette of warm and cool colors.
step 04
Define the contours of the figure with slightly darker values and bolder brushstrokes.
step 05
Add details to the hair, towel, and background, maintaining a loose and expressive style.
step 06
Refine the highlights and shadows to create a sense of depth and volume.
step 07
Soften edges and blend colors where needed to achieve a harmonious effect.
step 08
Add final touches and adjust values as necessary.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · alizarin crimson

Mix skin tones by blending yellow ochre, burnt sienna, and white, adding small amounts of alizarin crimson for warmth and ultramarine blue for cool shadows. Use raw umber and white to create the greyish background.

techniques