I had been in Michigan all week teaching art and preparing for a show. I had paintings all ready to go, but wanted to add another one. I tried to finish it up, but I couldn’t stand my results. I decided not to enter it, but instead, I wanted to paint over it.
I was at my daughter’s house. I asked her to sit next to a window so I could get natural light. This portrait is what was painted.
Note the color of her hair and face on the left side. It is painted white because that is what I actually saw as the outside light illumnated her face. Next, look at her eyes. As the light shines through the irises, the right sides lighten up to a light yellow. There is a highlight on the eye on the left. It is on the white of the eye and crosses slightly into the iris. These techniques give life to them.
Since I was a little kid I have been bored with “scenery” pictures. My dad would show slides he took. I loved the ones with people in them, but he stared forever at the scenery shots. Because of that, I’ve been more interested in painting people, buildings, and cars than landscapes.
I love doing oil paintings. What I enjoy the very most is portraits. I feel that if you can do a portrait you can do anything.
I went fishing in a farm pond recently. While I tried to concentrate on catching something, my two grandchildren were hanging on my legs, jabbering away at me, asking if they could fish, if I could get them a worm on their hook, and telling me it was their turn to fish.
I’ve always loved the night lights on downtown city streets. Reflections from store fronts, traffic lights and overhead lights bounce off cars and sidewalks.
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