Children portrait - WIP

[lmarie23]

I was commissioned to do a portrait of my coworker's adorable children. Just started it tonight, you can see it progress with these three images, included with the reference image. I still can't get the skin tones right, still too dark I think. Well, luckily I can always paint over it . C/C welcomed.

Lynne

[lmarie23]

still working on it...

Lynne

[BYart]

Hi lmarie23!
I think this will be a wonderful painting! Can you post a bit larger image, as this is a bit too small to really see any detail. I know this is the beginning stages, but would really like to watch this progress, and a bit larger would make that easier.
Skin tones are the most difficult for me as well. I have a bi-racial grandaughter, with an olive/
own type tone to her skin...I have wanted to paint her forever, but haven't figured out how to come up with the skintone colors. So I watch yours with interest as it might help me in the future!

[lmarie23]

here is the painting resized. for some reason the file is too large and i wasn't sure if i could post it any larger. but i guess i was wrong.

these children are also biracial - a white mother and a black father. i think biracial kids are always so adorable but i need to still work on lightening the skin tone.

[lmarie23]

I'm struggling with this painting. Having a hard time getting the skin tones right and having enough contrast without having it look blotchy.

[BYart]

Hi lmarie23,

sometimes when i am having a hard time figuring out values for a painting, it helps me to change the represented image to Black and white. After doing this, i can more easily see if my color values(lights and darks of each color) are off.
I have taken the liberty of doing this( I hope you don't mind) with your ref. photo, and also the latest stage of your painting. If you will study the B & W images, you can see how your color values are a bit off. Lightening the darkest parts will help i think.
I hope this will/may be helpful to you as i don't explain myself well.

[lmarie23]

Someone on another board gave me a tip for building up highlights and shadows - to use liquitex gloss medium and varnish, mixed with paint and water, and build up thin, translucent layers of the highlight or shadow. so i tried that and i'm much happier with it. I'm not sure, might still be too dark. But I like how the highlights and shadows fade in and out now.

Lynne

[william]

Imarie,

You have a nice start here. I agree with the glazing of the acrylics, but I have found it more useful to use the medium more than water, water may
eak up the intensity of the pigment. When I use acrylics, I have a glazing medium by Golden that I buy... Depending on the
and, you may want to see if there's a glazing medium. Also, are you making your own or using black?? I find homemade backs make for a more natural skin tone. Keep the shadows cool and make this highlights warm.
At this point, work on the clothing before adding more highlights to the face, you may need to get a little of those clothing colors blended into the background and the midtones of their faces. Try to get a little color into the background, cool it off with blue violets....it's too white. If you use the compliment color of the highlights, which are yellow orangy, then the image will pop.

William
ps, not so much detail on the teeth, it takes away attention to the overall expression.

[sablewand]

Imarie23

Just wanted to let you know thank you for letting me watch this painting take shape. Please dont forget to post an update I have been following this painting. DeVonna

[Juliep]

Hi Imarie23,

What beautiful children, they look so happy and a fun pose too. Do you paint your canvas upside down to work on the baby ?

I rather work on figures with darkrt skin tone then light. I find it's much more fun. Don't be too concerned about using more unofficial colors such as blues, greens and reds in the mix for skin tone.

Looking forward to seeing the next update.

Juliep

[krysta11]

Hi Imarie,

You are doing an amazing job here. I love children portraits . Very innocent and cute.

Can't wait to see this painting finished.
K.

[Angie Vest]

I like it gives me the feeling of wonder at what they are thinking and if they are having fun. I to can't wait to see this complete.

Angie

[lmarie23]

Thank you all for the encouraging and helpful comments. I took over a week hiatus from working on this painting, due to moving, and now I'm back into it and it feels SO good to be painting again! all the stress and nervousness of moving just drifts away....

This is the current stage but I plan on getting a lot more work done on it this afternoon....