Stormy Weather

My favorite painting projects are pet and people portraits. Illustrating children’s book trained me to, when possible, include special elements that provide insight into the subject’s personal story, it can be a toy, jewelry, or other meaningful objects. This little extra touch is like putting frosting on the cake. I also put extra care in painting the subject’s eyes, which I feel provides a lot of information about who they are. 

When working on a portrait of my mom, I decided to reflect an intense mood and make a statement. Her portrait is a 24” x 24” acrylic painting inspired by an old, damaged, sepia-tone photograph and many memories of my mom’s life. 

Even though there were a number of photos showing her smiling and happy, I was drawn to an old sepia-toned image with a serious expression. I felt this photo best showed her strength and determination, and the fact that no matter what heartships she endured, I would always remember her as strong, composed, and beautiful woman.

Before starting to paint on canvas, I created a digital mockup, airbrushing the sepia-toned image with realistic colors so I could have a better idea how the colors might look in the final painting.

The final work shows a larger than life image of my mom’s face against a stormy sky, reflecting her turbulent life. She’s dressed in a fitted, greenish blue suit reflective of the late 40’s/early 50’s styles, including deep red lipstick, dark thick hair pulled back in a ponytail, and a pin on her lapel, representing my mom’s favorite flower, a red rose.