plate no. 9566
Woman with Cherries on Her Hat
Kees van Dongen, 1905
some experience helpful
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in expressive brushwork and capturing a likeness with simplified forms and bold color choices. It also provides practice in mixing skin tones and creating a sense of depth with limited value range.
technical profile
palette complexity
3
brushwork visibility
4
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
4
study guide
est. 8 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the head, hat, and shoulders.
- step 02
Block in the background with a thin layer of blue and gray.
- step 03
Establish the main areas of color for the skin, hair, and hat using broad strokes.
- step 04
Refine the facial features, paying attention to the placement of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 05
Add the details of the hat, including the cherries and the dark band.
- step 06
Develop the texture of the clothing with short, broken brushstrokes.
- step 07
Adjust the values and colors to create a sense of depth and form.
- step 08
Add final details and highlights to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ultramarine blue · burnt umber · cadmium red
secondary · yellow ochre · ivory black · sap green
Mix skin tones by blending white, burnt umber, and a touch of red. Achieve the hat color by mixing burnt umber with yellow ochre and a touch of red. Use ultramarine blue and white for the background, adding a touch of black for darker areas.
techniques
- ·broken color
- ·alla prima
- ·expressive brushwork
- ·color mixing
- ·simplified forms
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
- →Getting bogged down in details too early.
- →Failing to capture the likeness of the subject.
- →Using muddy colors.
- →Not varying the brushstrokes enough.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ultramarine blue oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·#6 round brush
- ·#8 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
Use a medium-sized canvas (e.g., 16x20 inches). Consider using a toned canvas to make the colors pop.
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