NEW PAINTING: GRETA

Hello, everyone!

This painting has all of the ingredients of what I don’t like in a painting assignment: being asked to paint the portrait of someone’s child and being reliant on using someone else’s photographs as visual reference. I can be pretty finicky when it comes to that, and yet I couldn’t have had more fun with this project. Greta was a joy to paint!

This painting was commissioned in exchange for some design work I was in need of. I have always been a little hesitant of painting children, mainly because it doesn’t take much for a child to look unnaturally evil. Simply having too many teeth showing or too big a smile and all of a sudden you turn what was supposed to be a sweet angelic image into something dark and uncomfortable.

Still, Joe had gone above and beyond for me, and I wanted to not only repay him, but to prove to myself that I could use my artistic style in a way that would do justice to the subject. Plus it was an interesting challenge.

Working from several of the client’s own photographs, I took on the project and ended up having a blast with the project. I was fortunate enough to have some amazing photos to work from, and it didn’t hurt that the subject totally lights up the camera.

You can find this painting, along with others in the Misc Painting series, by clicking HERE.

And, here she is with the finished project:

Special thanks to Joe and Greta for allowing me this wonderful opportunity.

Matt Cauley
July 22, 2012

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