Three new portraits
 

Hi everyone.
I just completed another set of three portraits. The mother insisted on a square format, as she had seen some others I painted a couple of years ago.
I am quite pleased with the result, even though I am not sure that they do form a set, as I got looser and looser in the way I painted.

The girl and the eldest boy were started from photos and then completed live in about three sittings, with younger boy I only had a short sitting at the end. The paintings are oil on linen, 55x55 cm

Some details of the boys' hands, I am quite proud of these ones!

Ilaria,
I think you have succeeded in making a set of portraits. They are all different but repeat themes with variations, for instance they all hold there hands together and rest there arms all in different positions. Warm colors for the girl, cold for the boys. Every picture is balanced in it self and against the others.

Brilliantly done :thumbsup:

Allan

IIaria,

I agree with Allan. Each compositon is well suited to the square format, and each done with a sense of style and confidence.

I agree too! They work wonderfully, and I love the square format.

Very very nice!
 

Beautiful work, Ilaria!

They go very well together, in color, style and composition. I love the freshness and those hands you mention were the first thing I told myself to pay close attention to, because they were so well done and expressive.

Allan, Mike, Chris, Julie, thank you so much for your comments.

This is the third time recently that I struggle with these set of three children, same but different. Maybe this is the time when I handled it better, and it was the time when I really ignored the concern and just went for the portraits ( you can judge for yourselves,http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=4367 and http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=5620).

These works are a bit of a turning point for me. I have been followed by a tutor in the past months, and she helped me improve very much as well as practically putting me out of business: she pushed me so much to work live that I found myself sometimes unable to work from photographs anymore!

In fact I have really enjoyed establishing a relationships with these young people, it was really fun, and I was surprised by how well they have handled sitting for me. Starting from photographs was actually useful, as I didn't have worries about the placement of features, and they did not need to sit perfectly still.

I made the decision to try to work live as much as I can so that the painting will show the relationship between me and the model, maybe soon I'll just leave my safety device (camera) at home.
Also for the first time I was satisfied enough as to challenge the mother's unsatisfaction on the girl's painting and somehow managed to talk her into liking it.

As, I think, all of us, I have ups and downs on my art; this is an up and I will enjoy it as long as it lasts!
Thank you again very much for viewing and making your comments

Ilaria

Fresh and original.
 

Ilaria,

You have done a wonderful job with these. They are painted boldly with a fresh approach to children's portraiture. I love the hands as well.

Beautifully done and fun to look at.

Dear Ilaria,

I am speechless with wonder at these sparkilng portraits! I followed your links and realized how wonderfully you have evolved in your very personal style and vision over the past year. I cannot imagine a better trio of portraits. I had this same thought last year, and look what happened! Bravo!

Garth

All three are splendid, Ilaria. I can't imagine what the mother would have objected to on the girl's portrait. I am curious: how did you talk her into liking it? A useful skill, although it must not have been TOO difficult since the portrait is so beautiful.