plate no. 4157
Nude Baby on Mother`s Lap Resting Her arm on the Back of the Chair
Mary Cassatt, 1913
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and creating soft, blended effects with pastels. It also encourages observation of subtle value changes to create form.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 10 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figures and chair.
- step 02
Establish the background color with broad strokes of green and brown pastel.
- step 03
Block in the main areas of color for the mother's dress (white), the child's skin (yellows, pinks), and the chair (greens, whites).
- step 04
Begin layering colors to build up the skin tones, paying attention to highlights and shadows.
- step 05
Develop the details of the mother's face, focusing on the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Add texture to the dress with short, broken strokes of white and gray pastel.
- step 07
Refine the edges of the figures and chair to create a sense of depth.
- step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the overall effect.
color palette
primary · yellow ochre · raw sienna · white · emerald green
secondary · burnt sienna · rose madder · ultramarine blue · gray
Mix yellow ochre, raw sienna, and white for the base skin tone. Add touches of rose madder for warmth and ultramarine blue for shadows. Mix greens with yellow and blue, adding brown for darker shades.
techniques
- ·pastel blending
- ·layering
- ·scumbling
- ·color mixing
- ·portraiture
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the pastel and losing the soft, blended effect.
- →Using too much pressure and creating a chalky texture.
- →Failing to establish accurate proportions in the initial sketch.
- →Not paying attention to subtle value changes in the skin tones.
materials
surface · Pastel paper (toned)
required
- ·Pastel set (soft pastels)
- ·Pastel paper (toned)
- ·Kneaded eraser
- ·Blending stumps or tortillions
- ·Fixative spray
- ·Pencil
- ·Ruler
- ·Workable fixative
optional
- ·Palette knife
- ·Easel
- ·Reference photo print
Choose a pastel paper with a slightly rough texture to grip the pastel. A toned paper will help to create a more harmonious color scheme.
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