plate no. 1141

Girl With Cat

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigurecatdressgirlhands

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students practice color mixing to achieve subtle variations and learn to suggest form with visible brushstrokes. It's a good exercise in capturing a mood rather than precise realism.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure, cat, and background.
step 02
Block in the main color areas: skin tones, dress, cat, and background.
step 03
Develop the skin tones with subtle color variations, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 04
Add details to the dress, including the white trim and subtle patterns.
step 05
Paint the cat, focusing on capturing its form and the glow of its eyes.
step 06
Refine the background with textured brushstrokes.
step 07
Add final details and highlights to the figure and cat.
step 08
Review and adjust the overall color balance and composition.

color palette

primary · ultramarine blue · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · burnt sienna · ivory black

Achieve the skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of burnt sienna. The dress color is a mix of ultramarine blue and white, with raw umber added for shadows. The background is primarily raw umber and white, with hints of blue and green.

techniques

·dry brush texture
·scumbling
·color mixing
·layering
·blending

common pitfalls

→Overworking the details and losing the loose, painterly feel.
→Using colors straight from the tube without mixing.
→Not paying attention to the subtle color variations in the skin tones.
→Making the cat too detailed and distracting from the overall composition.

materials

surface · stretched canvas

required

·stretched canvas 12x16
·oil paints: ultramarine blue, raw umber, titanium white, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, ivory black
·round brushes (sizes 2, 4, 6)
·flat brushes (sizes 4, 8)
·palette
·linseed oil
·turpentine or odorless mineral spirits
·rags