Beautiful Michael. I was waiting for it. The background on my monitor looks black, but in your reply you said it was reddish. Could you share what colors you used for the background?

Alicia: The background is:

- Raw Umber plus black towards the bottom area
- Raw Umber plus asphaltum in the middle area
- Raw Umber plus asphaltum plus cad red light plus just a little bit of white on the top area

Overall, it is not as dark as the picture represents it. For instance, you don't lose the line of either girl's hair against the background. They come close, but there is about a 1 or 2 value difference between them.

Thanks Michael,

I used Gamblin's asphaltum in the drapery of my current portrait. I love this color. I think it is now my favorite brown.

Double Delight!
 

I admired this painting for its composition and execution before reading how you changed the dress colors and worked from two separate sources. Now I am amazed!

It has been said that there can be only one main focal point in a strong painting. This is a serious challenge to a double portrait which I believe you have met by allowing the younger girl to smile so brightly, while her sister is more poised.

You cleverly avoid the "floating bow" syndrome by connecting light areas across their hair.

This should win "Best in Show!" and will probably rotate between family members to avoid a feud.

Floating bow
 

Jeanine, what is the "floating bow syndrome"?

Michael, in my former life as a custom bedroom specialist, I spent many hours in client's homes. Choosing fabrics, color, and accessories (I made many of them). In some cases entire rooms were based on a painting. In this case you've accomplished the impossible in creating the focal point of the room after the fact. Impressive!

Jean

Re: Floating bow
 

The "Floating Bow Syndrome" was defined at the ASOPA/NYSOPA Contemporary Portrait Festival this spring as a light area floating above a head of dark hair with no apparent connection to the face. The design in this beautiful portrait avoids this problem.

Floating bow
 

Thanks Jeanine, I appreciate the information.

Jean

Jeanine:

Thanks for your kind words and your explanation of "floating bow syndrome". :)

Jean: I swore I would never paint a painting to go with a client's decor. Hunger and mortgages makes people do all sorts of things they said they never would do. :)

Michael, I know of artists who get a giglee made on canvas of their favorite works and frame those for shows. Around here it costs about $300 (not counting frame) but it's worth it if it's your best work.

Michele:

Thanks for your suggestion. I have definately considered doing that. I am trying to find a new quality source locally for transparencies, scans, and the like. The source I used before has really dropped in quality and I had to have them redo my last painting twice before they got it right.

I actually have a clause in my contract that says that I can borrow the painting back for shows every now and again and that the client will make reasonable efforts to get the paintings to me. This worked well just this weekend when I borrowed back four commissions for a big show here in Denver. Actually, many people are thrilled to have their painting in a show. :)