Portrait work

Sometimes I want to paint something quick and easy so I will choose a landscape. When I want to challenge myself however I choose portraits. Not necessarily posed portraits, but more like candid shots of my family.  I'll be honest- they are not easy.  Especially when it is someone you look at every day.  After many failed attempts, I finally feel like I am getting better at it.  I have been studying the works of one of my favorite local artists, Margaret Dyer (www.margaretdyer.com), for guidance and clues with realistic skin tones and creating an interesting portrait composition.  Aren't those pictures of someone posing in a chair boring? I think so.  I think that's why I like her paintings. Her figures are always doing something. So with that in mind, I set out to paint a picture of my daughter taken at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.  There was a lot going on in the photograph.  I originally planned on adding more flowers and color in the background, but once I was finished with the figure I didn't want to detract from it with a busy background.  I struggle with simplifying the composition, but I think I held back just enough here.  I am not listing this painting for sale on etsy, but will be creating a listing for portrait commissions soon if you'd like one of your own kiddo or family.

"The Little Flower Girl"