On painting kid faces
Portraits of children are by their nature harder to paint than portraits of adults. I used to think that this had to do with the distinct lack of wrinkles in a child’s face, but in the last few years I have come to see that there’s more to it.
Children don’t put up the same walls as adults do, and as a result there’s a decidedly uninhibited quality to their faces.
When I’m photographing kids, the way that they react to a camera is usually a lot more honest than the way that grown-ups do.
There’s no censoring, and that translates to a less-meditated feeling in portraits of kids.
But while the photo session plays a big role in the portraits I paint, the influence of a child’s natural dynamism and candor extends beyond the interview.
In this portrait, Gabriella is making a face that an adult might make, but she is making it in an unmistakably kid-like manner.
The portrait of an adult with a similar expression might seem forced.
But a child can get away with this kind of exuberance…
Gwenn Seemel
Gabriella
2010
acrylic on canvas
36 x 24 inches
(detail below)
...and that means that her portrait painter can too!
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CATEGORIES: - Process images - Practice - On portraiture -
Chelsie Brady...
Gwenn,
I came across your page while googling something completely unrelated, but I’m so glad I did. I have seriously spent the entire day looking at all of your exciting and awesome paintings. I love your work!
I live in Gresham, and am actually on the Gresham art committee (http://greshamartcommittee.com/) It seems like you have a great business as it is, but if you’d like to show your work on this side of Portland, I would love to include you in some upcoming shows. I am on the curator team of several of the shows for 2010. I think your work would be an exciting addition to our gallery.
Anyway, thank you for displaying your talent. I will come back often.
Chelsie Brady
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