Three oil studies 8" x 10"
 

Here's three oils

and. . .
 

Please excuse the reflected light on the canvas from the right on this one.

and. . .

Hi Lon,

I like them! They remind me of a litle child painted by Frans hals in the 'Mauritshuis' (museum in The Hague,Holland). Skin colours are very fresh. Can you tell me how you mix the colors? Are these done by using photographs or are these life-studies ?

Greetings,
Peter

Well Lon, you haven't been spending all your time at the mall. Are these your kids? I'm sure they will be treasured long after you're gone (no time soon I'm sure). Maybe soften the hair to the background just a bit for the baby in the middle?

Peter, I tried the limited palette method, all from the same palette. The colors are mostly, Winsor Newton, with Graham White. THe black is Ross, which is more lke Paynes Gray, and real thin. (I would not use Ross for archival stuff - it is too cheap.)

I mix color with my brush - most of which are sable. I use a fisk for blending and blurring.

Mike, the boy is my youngest son now 23. The girls are my granddaughters who are in all my posted paintings. I did paint these at the mall! :) All from photos. I wanted to do some 8" x 10" for the practice. The face is the most important part of the portrait, so I only wanted to do the face and eliminate all the other business of a full portrait.

I appreciate your comments - I greatly respect your work.

Lon, you wrote "I use a fisk for blending and blurring." What is a fisk?

Thanks!

It is a stiff brush. It is a brand name, but I use it more as a term for a stiff bristle brush.