plate no. 5935

Portrait of the artist's wife

Rupert Bunny, 1902

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfiguredogclothinghatbackground

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, including capturing likeness and rendering fabric textures. It will also provide practice in creating soft, atmospheric backgrounds and depicting animal features.

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's head and shoulders, the dog, and the overall composition.
step 02
Block in the background with loose, blended brushstrokes, focusing on the overall color harmony.
step 03
Establish the main values on the woman's face and the dog, paying attention to light and shadow.
step 04
Begin refining the facial features, focusing on capturing the likeness and expression.
step 05
Paint the clothing, focusing on the striped pattern and the folds of the fabric.
step 06
Add details to the dog's fur and features, using small, precise brushstrokes.
step 07
Refine the background and adjust the overall color balance.
step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.

color palette

primary · ivory black · yellow ochre · burnt umber · titanium white

secondary · ultramarine blue · cadmium red light

Achieve skin tones by mixing white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red and umber. Create the background by blending greens, browns, and blues. Mix black and white for the stripes, and add a touch of umber for warmth.

techniques