Update and a New Studio

Well, these paintings got set aside for a little while, but I am almost done. Here's the most recent progress. I'm trying to get them as far along as I can so I can present them tonight if possible. I have a new studio space and tonight it will be a part of the Provo, Utah monthly Gallery Stroll. Check out the poster I made below.

 

Please come join us!

In Progress

These are coming along a little slow but I am liking them. The dark red I covered the background with is only temporary. It's an under-layer that will give some good contrast to the final color that will cover it. The  paintings are touching each other here but when displayed will sit an inch and a half apart which will make the circle full.

Drawing - Grisaille - Paint

 Drawing the circle.

 

 Claire

 Jane

 

 Nicholas

Oliver

Some basic steps: I first lay out the drawing then move into a grisaille as in the steps of Claire above. Then I can get into the best part, laying down lots of paint. I've always been nervous to paint freckles so painting the Nielson children presents a perfect challenge.

Color Studies

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the color in this piece so I decided to do some color studies. After I tried to do some hand-coloring on black and white prints I decided to go to the computer instead. I don't love working on the computer but it was very helpful.

*In the middle photo you can see a painting in the top right corner by my good friend, Annie Henrie. She does some great work, including portraits. Go check out her work here.

Photo Shoot

I

Before I can take the idea to canvas I have to get my photo reference. I went over to the Nielson's place with my camera and enlisted the help of both Stephanie and Christian to get some good shots of these wiggly kids. Oliver and Nicolas were definitely the wiggliest.  

The Idea

   

  

 
In 2009 I did a project called Hour Provo, modeled after a similar project done by my brother and his friend in New London Connecticut. Stephanie's Nielson's portrait was the 49th I painted in this series. She asked me if someday I would paint her kids. Early this year I came up with an idea for a painting of her four kids: four square profile paintings that fit together as one big square painting. This was inspired by Stephanie's profile cut-outs that she does. I love simple basic design so the square and circle came naturally. I took the sketch to Stephanie and she loved the idea so we decided to do it.