When I create and set my mind to working on a composition, some of them look simple. It usually doesn’t turn out that way. This image has good lighting, good shadows for definition, great expression,,, you can just guess he is yelling, ‘Look, Mom!’ What could go wrong? I decided to use a linen covered board made by a good company, which I have used before. Well, for some reason, every layer I apply feels as though I am painting on dry sand instead of smooth linen. I figured that would be better by the second or third layer, but it isn’t. The oil in the paint is sucked up so fast. It looks dry too. What else? Well, I tell my students that portrait painting is the art of correction, correction, correction!!! The eyes here look pretty good but I will need to modify them both a little. This grandson and his brother and sister all have the skin tone of their dad and their Mom’s grand dad, which is two distinctly different gene pools, but the skin is so white. This is a challenge when doing a portrait. I must paint layers of flesh to make the skin look supple and alive but I must not build up color in a way that darkens it. I think as I move along, this will be OK. As I tell my class, ‘If it doesn’t look right, it just isn’t finished!’ Now I will photo my other ‘in progress’ work and try to attach it.

As you can see, this grand daughter does not present me with the same challenges as her cousins, only different challenges. I have wanted to do this painting for a long while. It is about as much fun as I thought it would be. These two paintings will give me a head start in shows next year. I have another project to prepare for the Community art center so I must get started on that. Even though I do not like cold weather, I do so love to hibernate all winter with a paintbrush in my hand. I hope you all are able to use some of the hints I give you as I proceed. I pray you will all remain in good health. Till next time, Shalom, Diana