Since my kids rarely agree to model for me I often have to resort to photos. (I don’t use bribes. That wouldn’t feel like good parenting). I think a bad photo can be an excellent trigger for an interesting painting. The subject in a perfect photo is probably better left as a photo and using something you are not content with will to my experience leave more room for my own creativity.
I started this oilsketch from an out of focus badly lit photo of my youngest daughter sitting on the kitchen floor. I liked the pose, the reflected light from the floor and the limited palette.
I used titanium and zink white, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, terra di sienna and black..and a small touch of blue. It is painted on paper.
- The starting point.
- The first layouts. (The photo is taken outdoors late in the evening)
- Trying to fill in the areas of colours and getting the proportions right.
- Adding contrast and working on the shape of The hair and the face.
- The end result.