plate no. 6732

Mulher da Água

oilImpressionismgenre paintingfigurebuildingswalllandscapeskylaundry

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing light and shadow with broken color and loose brushwork, as well as simplifying complex scenes into essential shapes and values. It's also a good exercise in painting figures in a landscape.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the main shapes: the wall, buildings, figure, and laundry pile.
step 02
Establish the overall value structure with a thin wash of burnt umber or a similar earth tone.
step 03
Block in the large areas of color: the ochre of the wall, the blue-gray of the laundry, the green of the skirt, and the sky.
step 04
Start building up the texture of the wall with broken brushstrokes of varying shades of ochre, yellow, and white.
step 05
Refine the figure, paying attention to the light and shadow on the face and clothing.
step 06
Add details to the laundry pile, using short, broken strokes to suggest the folds and textures.
step 07
Adjust the values and colors throughout the painting to create a sense of depth and atmosphere.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to the figure and buildings.

color palette

primary · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · titanium white · raw sienna · viridian

Mix various shades of ochre by combining yellow ochre, burnt umber, and white. Create the blue-gray of the laundry by mixing ultramarine blue, white, and a touch of burnt umber. Achieve the green of the skirt by mixing ultramarine blue and yellow ochre.

techniques