Portrait Study

This painting is about texture and mood. I wanted to capture the buttery softness of fingers and the way rings sit on skin—cool, smooth, and a little heavy. Her expression says a lot without trying: nonchalant, maybe fed up, and a little tired. There’s a hint of hopelessness in her eyes. The pink background sets…

This is a study of one of Anders Zorn’s pieces. I admire his work! In this study, I focused on identifying the planes of the face, and the subtle transition of hue and temperature across the face: the pinks and oranges, yellows, and light purples.

After I had done my piece “Prismatic Journey,” I wanted to experiment further with the rainbow palette. The digital space is especially useful for experimentation! With access to every color, and with no cost for the paint, I explored the transition between colors while blending it into a real subject.

I am often improving my portraiture! I believe the human figure is a hot wire for connection between the canvas and feeling. We relate with people, we relate with portraits and figures. I was learning how to paint African American skin tones, and also honoring pride month. I had great fun with her hair!