Catching personality

This little photo of the Elizabeth painting in
progress was done with the painting on the
easel and cropped from the wildly careening
image, all crazy where it should have been a
nice rectangle. Thanks to iphoto it is looking
a bit better. Looking at it reminds me of what
was going on at that time with the work.
Young teenagers change almost daily, inside
and outside. Plus you can know the look
of a beautiful girl, without knowing the
person. I think good portraits let the
sitter's personality come through. It shows
in many ways, in their posture, choice of
pose, jewellery, and expression. But there
is also a deeper quality that I think more
painterly portraits capture. That's what
I try to get. I like the painting at this stage.
But as you'll see, it's not finished.

What has happened is that the face is
beginning, the shapes are more
refined, the dress seems to have a person
inside it. This is all good. When you read this I am probably en route to our
nation's capital. Thanks to everyone holding down the home front, and keeping
Miss Fiona, Max, Zoey, and Sam happy.

Have a refined day.