plate no. 6867

Looking warm - The Appearance of an Urban Widow of the Kansei era

oilUkiyo-eportraitfigurecatkimonopatternportraithair ornament

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in layering colors to create patterns and rendering smooth skin tones. It also offers practice in capturing the likeness of a subject and creating a focal point.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 15 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the woman, the cat, and the surrounding patterns.
step 02
Block in the background with a light, even tone.
step 03
Begin layering the base colors for the skin, hair, and clothing.
step 04
Carefully render the patterns on the kimono, paying attention to the color variations.
step 05
Add details to the face, focusing on the eyes and mouth.
step 06
Paint the cat, building up the fur texture with short, delicate strokes.
step 07
Refine the outlines and add any final details.
step 08
Add the text and seals in the upper corners.

color palette

primary · ivory · black · red · green

secondary · blue · purple · gold · grey

Achieve the skin tones by mixing ivory with small amounts of red and yellow. Mix greens by combining blue and yellow, and adjust with white or black for shading.

techniques