Becca and Si on the Couch
 

Here's a portrait I did of my daughter last summer. Details are included.

Alexandra,

I like your painting very much. The colors, values, edges and models are beautiful.

Hope that you will participate a lot in this forum.

Best wishes and welcome, Allan

Alexandra, I love this painting, everything about it. It reminds me of being young and visiting my grandmother on Sunday afternoons. :thumbsup:

Thanks, Allan and Mary
 

I was trying to convey the limp, no-energy feeling of a hot, humid day. My daughter was not pleased that I was painting her with no makeup and her hair messy (not her idea of a portrait) but now she has begun to appreciate it more. Si, our cat, seems to know how to place himself in the middle of the action, so he finds his way into many of my compositions.

Recently I've been trying to concentrate on some portraits of my family and friends just so I have the freedom to try placing the figure in space in different ways, and basically just experimenting. It has really helped my commissioned work. So thanks for the encouragement!


Alex

Hi Alex,

This painting has a wonderful, warm lazy feel to it. The warm reds, the sleeping cat, the way the girl's curled up on the couch -- and really nice color harmony, too. :thumbsup:

Terri,

Thanks! I definitely prefer warm colors, so they find their way into many of my paintings.

Since posting this I've been tweaking the painting a little, as a result of a critique that Nelson Shanks gave me. I had heard he could be really hard on people, but he was very positive. It was just like one of my artist friends coming over and pointing out little things that could be impoved upon. That always happens just when I think I've finished. So when I get the images I will post the "new and improved" version!

Alex

This is a marvelous, original, and inviting composition Alex. I love the light quality too. What is the size, by the way?

Garth

Alexandra,

The diagonal composition is very effective as well as the lovely feeling of afternoon light.

Thank you, Garth and Sharon! The dimensions are 40" x 30".

Alex

Alexandra, I just spotted this and I think it's terrific! I love the perspective and the zig-zag composition of the limbs, it's very effective. You have a soft, painterly style that I like very much. Congratulations on a beautiful painting!