Half-Hour Portrait

Some little ones have such big eyes that I get carried away and forget that I have to fit the rest of their face in the picture.

Half-Hour Portrait

I do like the challenge of a complex face.

Half-Hour Portrait

I love it when a kid gives you a glimpse of what she's going to look like as an adult.

Oh baby...

I have just one thing to say: Babies are hard! Do you know how much difference there is between a happy face and an angry one? A fraction of a millimeter in any number of places.

This one is special.

One by one, our incredible kids are setting out into the world. I've watched this amazing girl grow right along with my own daughter. It's hard to let them go, but I'm excited to see what comes next for them. (And also glad we managed to fit the portrait in before she left!) 

Larger portraits, continued...

You know how there are some people you can tell at first glance will be gorgeous forever? It's something more than what's on the surface. I just love it when I get to paint a face that's both interesting and beautiful. 

Another larger one...

I especially like this boy's nose.

Working a little bit larger...

I'll post a few larger portraits this week. First up: if this cutie pie looks familiar, it's because I posted half-hour portraits of him and his brother last year. Shortly after, their mother commissioned larger paintings, which were so satisfying to work on.

Half-Hour Portrait

I love the intense stare this little one has.

Half-Hour Portrait

Kids are just so cute.

Half-Hour Portrait

This little girl made my day yesterday. Sitting still was hard for her, but she did it, more or less. Once she was finally released, she popped around the easel to look at the painting. Her eyes got big, she stood very still, and then started clapping her little hands slowly and quietly. Melted my heart.

Half-Hour Portrait

And her lovely sister.

Half-Hour Portrait

It was nice getting to know this beauty a little bit as I painted her last week.

Half-Hour Portrait

Almost everyone in our household is quite fond of this boy. (And Tarzan thinks he's ok at a distance.)

Half-Hour Portrait

I think I've only just realized what "heart-shaped face" really means.

Half-Hour Portrait

It's been a crazy couple of months, but I think I'm getting my feet under me again. I've got a little backlog of paintings to post; here's the first. This little guy did an amazing job sitting for his portrait, despite being a bit worried about the whole thing.

Half-Hour Portrait

Another one that I so enjoyed painting on Saturday!

Half-Hour Portrait

There are several paintings from the last couple months that I still need to post (and I’ve been lame about getting them online), but I just want to put this one of a few I painted today up, because painting this beauty, along with her brother, reminded me how much I loooove painting faces.

Half-Hour Portrait

And here's the little sister, pre-compost adventure.

Framing!

Look at this sooo adorable boy. His portrait, along with his little sister’s were commissioned as a Christmas gift for their mom. Two of the best things about our painting session: 1) seeing a great dad at work, and 2) watching the little sister make a beeline for the compost pile (!) after being released from the incredibly boring business of sitting still. (It was not as messy as it could have been.)

And now look at the frames! This is one of my favorite treatments yet.