plate no. 9742

Woman Reading to a Little Girl

Felix Vallotton, 1900

oil, cardboardIntimisminteriorinteriorfiguresdoorcurtainroomreading

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students understand how to depict light and shadow within an interior space and how to simplify complex forms into basic shapes. It also provides practice in color mixing to achieve muted and harmonious tones.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Sketch the basic shapes and composition, focusing on the placement of the figures and the architectural elements.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the background and then moving to the figures.
step 03
Establish the light and shadow patterns, paying attention to the direction and intensity of the light source.
step 04
Refine the shapes and details of the figures, adding subtle variations in color and tone.
step 05
Add details to the architectural elements, such as the door frame and the baseboard.
step 06
Create the texture of the curtain and the rug using short, broken brushstrokes.
step 07
Glaze thin layers of color to create depth and luminosity.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of realism.

color palette

primary · red ochre · ultramarine blue · raw umber · titanium white

secondary · cadmium yellow · ivory black · purple

Mix muted greens by combining ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow with a touch of raw umber. Achieve the warm orange tones by mixing red ochre with cadmium yellow and a touch of white. Use ivory black sparingly to darken colors.

techniques