Sisters and a dog

Cindy Procious · 08-08-2007, 09:19 AM

Just finished this one and delivered last Sunday. It's 42" x 32" oil on canvas.

Debra Norton · 08-08-2007, 11:56 AM

Very nice Cindy. I'm sure your clients love this! I like how the sisters are so different; their clothing, hair and posture have much to say about their personalities. Their hands are beautiful. I like the texture of the dog fur too.

Cindy Procious · 08-08-2007, 12:27 PM

Thanks Debra. I'm glad their differences came through - I went shopping with the mother for their outfits, hoping to reflect their personalities a bit in what they wear. (I hate shopping, and so does their mother! It was quite a chore finding something that worked that was harmonious, and that we thought the girls would actually deign to put on...)

Chris Saper · 08-09-2007, 12:31 PM

Cindy,

This is a beautiful painting! Would you post some close-ups when you get a chance?

Brava

Tom Edgerton · 08-10-2007, 08:14 AM

Cindy, great job!

I like the informality of their expression and dress against the geometry of the stairway and paneling. Great sense of LIFE, too.

Cindy Procious · 08-10-2007, 08:45 AM

Thank you so much for your nice comments. The geometric forms of the stairway were a big concern, as well as the moulding on the wall. I had to move the moulding so that it didn't chop anyone's head off visually, and where I couldn't move it, try to soften it so that it didn't draw attention to itself.

Here's some details, Chris.

Cindy Procious · 08-10-2007, 08:48 AM

Two more - hands and Henry the dog.

Alexandra Tyng · 08-10-2007, 09:50 AM

Cindy,

Everything is so wonderfully conceived and carried through in this portrait. I've been back to look at it several times, and each time I see more. I love the way you've painted the girls--thanks for the closeups!-- the diagonal of the stair and moulding, and the understated simplicity of the architectural features.

What strikes me most forcibly, in its quiet way (it took me a while to see this but it is brilliant) is the black (navy)/white checkerboard you have created. From top to bottom, one sister is dark, light, dark and the other is light, dark, light. They are next to each other, so the "checkerboard" reads horizontally, too. The dark carpet and white wall divide the background into two zones, also. Cleverly, or perhaps instinctively, you massed the light dog in with the white skirt of the younger sister. The total effect is absolutely NOT spotty! I'd love to know how much of it was consciously done and how much simply worked out that way (with you sensing, of course, that it was right).

Cindy Procious · 08-10-2007, 10:42 AM

Alex, thanks so much for your detailed crit.

The checkerboard pattern was totally coincidental, actually. The older girl already had the blouse, (and the sneakers). So I knew we were going to put her in dark slacks. When we found the dress we knew it was a perfect compliment to her outfit.

I used a limited palette so as to keep color harmony - what I liked about the color scheme was it's simplicity. The dog has the same colors as the girls and their clothes.

Using Sharon's suggestion for color harmony, the greys (and the blacks) are all slightly leaning towards green. I don't think that's apparent from the photos - everything looks more blue. The accent spots of color are pink/red.

My palette was flake white, titanium white, zinc white, raw sienna, transparent oxide red, pyrollo ruby, ultramarine blue, viridian, and ivory.

Enzie Shahmiri · 08-10-2007, 05:08 PM

Cindy, it is a lovely painting. Great to see the close-up shots, just beautiful!