"Lily" in Dad's hands
 

Very excited first time parents. I'm afraid I may have to paint this baby. I don't have a lot of experience painting babies.

Lily with rabbit
 

I have various shots like this. I have one identical to this with a more neutral expression. I just couldn't help showing frown.

Mike - WOW, what a great shot. I think it would make a very beautiful and sentimental portait.

The frown is precious. ;)

Hello Mike:

Great shots both. You mentioned that you had not much experience painting babies. I have done several very young children in charcoal and oil. The thing to realize is that their features are not fully formed yet, so they are fleshy and round and very soft. This means that your tonal transitions need to be very soft too. Otherwise you will get what my wife critically called "old baby syndrome" when looking at my first attempt to paint a baby. The value transitions were too steep between the highlights and shadows and the look was severe and angular - not words to describe a young child.

Little fingers can be a challenge too. They are perfectly anatomical, but they also are fat and pudgy and often they will appear to be wrongly foreshortened - again, it is the value transitions that make the difference.

Kids seem to lose most of this fat by the time they are 3-4 years. I am working on a dual portrait of two kids right now with one girl at around 5 and the other is 2-3. The difference in their anatomy is dramatic. The five year old looks like a little adult, while the younger child still has fat cheeks and fingers.

Hope this helps! :)

"Lily in dad's hands"
 

Mike, I'm not trying to talk you out of doing a painting. But, why paint it? The picture itself is precious. I'd take it to a photo shop and have it blown up and framed.

Michael, I think you make some really good points. Thanks for the input. Those chubby little features. I'm including one more chubby pic just for fun.

Tom, I don't disagree at all. What I have is two very excited new parents that want to capture everything. It was a little comical, we couldn't get the baby to wake up. They kept poking and proding her and nothing worked. I think I will try and counsel them to wait a couple of years. I may give one of these a go for experience sake.

We call it the "psycho baby" syndrome. But to the parents, it will only be another miracle. Keep us posted on your progress.

Mike,

If you're just looking for practice, that's fine. However, if you're trying to build a portfolio, not many portraits are sold of babies. A child 3+ is a better age to add to a portfolio if you have a choice.

Hi Mike,

To follow up on Cynthia's statement, I have had a number of requests for baby paintings, but I have not done them as individual portraits. I routinely recommend that they wait until the child is at least 16 months (approximately, as it depends on the individual child), UNLESS they want a painting of an adult or older sibling holding the baby. It is simply too hard to get good reference material, and as cute as all those little noses are, it seems you're always looking up them, and looking past many cute little chins on the way.

Best wishes!

Hi Mike,

ALL your photographs are ALWAYS so beautiful. Just wanted to tell you that.

Oh, I would also pipe in to suggest waiting until the child begins to look like herself (around 3ish).

Cynthia, that's a good point. I could best spend my time on something I could use.

Chris, I did take some of the parents holding the baby but in each case the baby is so small you just can't get a handle on it.

Stanka, thanks for the nice compliment.

I can always count on such wonderful advise. Thanks again to all.

Mike,

I have done paintings of both of my boys when they were babies and they are two of my favorites. The picture of the baby in the father's hands is beautiful. I understand that we think a better painting can be accomplished by painting an older child, but a new parent doesn't see it the same way we do. If they want a portrait to capture this special moment, go for it. The parents see what's in front of them now and they want to cherish this time. Who's to say that they won't want another portrait three or four years from now?

Good luck with your choice,
Renee Price

I have just one baby, she is now seventeen. From the moment she arrived my life was transformed. The year she was born I built a tennis court along side my house. I never really played tennis again. When she was three I became a single parent. Millions of babies born everyday, common as dirt, until it happens to you.

If these folks really want me to paint this baby I guess I'll give it a go. And if I can keep it from looking like Groucho Marx they will be thrilled, as only a new parent can be.

Mike,

Maybe take a look at Mary Cassatt's work. She did great works of mothers with children in various settings. Maybe mention having the parents included in the painting? That may be a little tough composition-wise to place emphasis on just the child though. Hope this helps.

Gene

I think painting the baby in her father's hands is a lovely idea. Not just for a portrait, but for the statement it makes. The strong hands of a father cradling his daughter speaks to me of love, nurture, commitment and trust. We need more of that in this world. Go for it Mike!

I agree that it is a compelling image. I wish I could get Mary Cassatt to do it. Do you have her e-mail? For me it would be a chanllenge. I think the parents have decided to do photo's every three months until Lily gets a little older. Plus the advice of Cynthia rings true, work towards those things which enhance your portfolio. If you have the option. Not many commissions of newborn babies.