plate no. 9967

Women washing in the stream

Léon Augustin Lhermitte, 1900

pastel, paperRealismgenre paintingstreamwomenbridgetreesbuildinglandscape

some experience helpful

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in depicting figures in a landscape and capturing the texture of stone and foliage using broken color techniques. It also provides practice in creating a sense of depth through atmospheric perspective.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 12 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes: the stream, the bridge, the building, and the figures.
step 02
Block in the large areas of color, starting with the sky and distant hills.
step 03
Establish the dark values in the trees and the shadows under the bridge and building.
step 04
Begin to define the shapes of the figures, paying attention to their poses and proportions.
step 05
Add details to the bridge and building, using short, broken strokes to create texture.
step 06
Develop the stream, using horizontal strokes to suggest the flow of water and adding highlights to indicate reflections.
step 07
Refine the figures, adding details to their clothing and faces.
step 08
Add final highlights and shadows to enhance the sense of depth and realism.

color palette

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

secondary · sap green · cadmium yellow · alizarin crimson

Mix muted greens by combining yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, and a touch of burnt umber. Achieve the warm tones of the building and bridge by blending burnt umber, yellow ochre, and a small amount of alizarin crimson.

techniques