plate no. 7321

Portrait of the Artist's Wife

Bela Kadar, 1907

oilPost-Impressionismportraitportraitfigurewomandresshairbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, color mixing for skin tones, and capturing the essence of a subject with loose brushstrokes. It also provides practice in creating a subtle patterned background.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes and proportions of the figure and background.
step 02
Block in the main areas of color, focusing on the overall values.
step 03
Begin refining the skin tones, mixing subtle variations of color.
step 04
Add details to the hair, using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 05
Define the features of the face, paying attention to the light and shadow.
step 06
Paint the dress, capturing the folds and textures with loose brushwork.
step 07
Add the patterned background, keeping it soft and subtle.
step 08
Refine the details and adjust the values as needed.

color palette

primary · titanium white · burnt umber · yellow ochre · cadmium red

secondary · cerulean blue · viridian green · raw sienna

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Use blue and green to create the background color, and add white to lighten it.

techniques