plate no. 9368

The Blue Hat (Kathleen Kearney)

Sarah Purser, 1923

oilImpressionismportraitportraitfigurehatfacehair

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and using expressive brushstrokes to define form. It also provides practice in mixing skin tones and creating a sense of depth with limited color variations.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 8 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, hat, and shoulders, paying attention to proportions.
step 02
Establish the darkest values in the background and hat using a dark mix of blues and browns.
step 03
Block in the general skin tones with a mid-tone mixture of white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red.
step 04
Define the shadows on the face and neck using darker, cooler tones.
step 05
Add highlights to the face, hair, and hat using lighter mixtures of the base colors.
step 06
Refine the details of the eyes, nose, and mouth, paying close attention to their shapes and values.
step 07
Add texture to the hair and hat with short, broken brushstrokes.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the values and colors to create a cohesive and expressive portrait.

color palette

primary · titanium white · yellow ochre · burnt umber · ultramarine blue

secondary · cadmium red light · ivory black

Mix skin tones by combining white, yellow ochre, and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue and burnt umber to create dark, neutral tones for shadows and the background. Add small amounts of black to darken the blues and browns.

techniques