Sunday, 4 October 2015

Dusting off the Acrylics



 
Acrylic on board 15cm x 12cm (6" x 4.5")
 
 
Photo reference on the computer
 
This is a painting of my youngest daughter. The photo reference was taken last year around her 18th birthday, and doing a portrait from it was supposed to be part of her present. I'm only ten months late!!
 We had various people coming and going today and when I showed them the painting I made sure they got a very fleeting glimpse. Oh it looks just like her they all said, but with a longer glance one can see that it's not a very exact likeness at all. However, it is my first attempt at a portrait in acrylics and considering I've barely used my acrylics for the last 18 months I was pretty pleased with the outcome.
 
 
I had originally intended to paint a still life of some china and had taken these photos for art reference while having afternoon tea at a friend's house recently .

 
Another week passed and the beautiful spring weather made the balcony the perfect place to enjoy a spot of tea with a friend last weekend. So I took more photos with the idea of painting from one of them, but the portrait won out in the end.
 
 

Mmmm, mulberries my friend had picked off her own tree and brought along to have with our cuppa.

 
A beautiful specimen of the native Eremophila nivea is happily flowering in my garden for the third year running.

 
Please excuse the blurriness of the above photo.

 
My peach tree in blossom

 
I spotted this cute bobtail goanna while walking through local bushland last week.
 
 
One of my friends recently travelled to the south of Italy and took my book along for reading material. Here she is below in action! What great shots!
 

 
For a bit of fun, I would love to receive any photos to post here on my blog of people reading my book in exotic locations - whether it be while on holiday or even with an outlook distinctive to the area you live in. If you are too shy to feature in the photo, just my book and the scene would be fun too! I hope everyone is having a great weekend!  
                                    
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33 comments:

  1. Sue Marrazzo Fine Art4 October 2015 at 02:40

    BEAUTIFUL everything!

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  2. Rosemary4 October 2015 at 03:39

    The portrait of your daughter is stunning, and to me it looks like the photo you have shown of her.

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    1. Wendy Barrett4 October 2015 at 06:19

      You are very kind Rosemary! I laboured long and hard over painting her mouth and yet I think that's the bit that makes the portrait look like someone else (to my eyes at least!) . It is amazing how only one feature needs to be a little off to make a portrait look like a stranger! Although, not surprising really. Because there are billions of us with all the same amount of features in the same sort of positions, nature would be forced to rely on the smallest differences to ensure we all look distinctively different to every other person on the planet.

      I so love your blog and always feel I have had a very delightful visit to the UK by the end of it. Your latest post had me practically swooning with delight and I intend to have a more leisurely stroll through it again very soon!

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  3. Margaret D4 October 2015 at 04:45

    The painting looks great as far as I can see.
    We saw lots of bobtail's crossing the roads as we travelled...

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    1. Wendy Barrett4 October 2015 at 06:29

      Thanks Margaret! The bobtails aren't very fast moving and road savvy I'm afraid so I hope the ones you saw were still moving!
      Love your photos of the Renmark area!

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  4. Joan Tavolott4 October 2015 at 05:32

    Your portrait of your daughter came out lovely!!! Great photos and the one of you friend reading your book while on holiday made me smile. Enjoy!

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    1. Wendy Barrett4 October 2015 at 06:32

      Thanks so much Joan! Good on you for taking part in the Inktober challenge. I love your latest pieces - particularly the one of the staircase in the great hall! How lucky to be able to trot into New York so frequently!!

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  5. Sami4 October 2015 at 07:27

    I think the portrait looks beautiful. I startedpainting my children's portrait many years ago and the never finished (just small details...)
    My Eremophila's are also blossoming.

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    1. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 00:57

      Thanks Sami! I hope you get back to painting portraits sometime. Would love to see photos of your Eremophilas - they are such beautiful plants!

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  6. Jane4 October 2015 at 10:33

    Oh you should be so proud of the portrait, it is very much alike , at first I thought it was a self portrait, she really does look like her mother, beautiful girl ! And love the sight of those mulberries , pure yummi !

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    1. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 01:10

      Thanks so much Jane! Your portraits and figures are always an inspiration to me as you have such a great style. Yes, nothing like freshly picked mulberries!

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  7. Celia Blanco4 October 2015 at 14:07

    Your portrait is beautiful!! I love your set up for tea, they would make lovely paintings! Your friend was so clever to send you a photo of her while reading your book, love the idea!

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    1. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 01:17

      Thanks so much Celia!
      I love that you have been painting plein air of late - it's such a therapeutic thing to do and I want to do more of it myself!

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  8. Deborah Nolan5 October 2015 at 12:11

    Dear Wendy your daughter's portrait is superb. From the photo it certainly looks like you captured her likeness. She is really lovely too Wendy. The picture of your peach tree blossoms are gorgeous. Looks like you will be enjoying some delicious fruit. Take care and have a lovely day.

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    1. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 01:19

      You are very kind Debbie! I really enjoyed seeing your autumn landscape where you live - such vibrant colours!

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  9. Karen Johnston Daily Paintings5 October 2015 at 22:41

    What a beautiful portrait Wendy!! You should be very proud of it, portraits are not easy! I love the peach blossoms too.

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    1. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 06:56

      Thanks Karen! I hope to do more portraits at some point. Good luck with getting your calendar finished!

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  10. Laura7 October 2015 at 17:27

    Hi Wendy. Great portrait. A first... never would have guessed. Looks fabulous from where I am sitting. Thanks so much once again for the chat the other day. It really was what I needed. Still not painting but I am sure one day soon I will pick up my brushes once again. Glad to see you have started painting again. Life does get busy with one thing or another sometimes. Anyway I can vouch that tea pots and cups are really fun subjects. So looking forward to seeing what you make of your photos. Have fun, keep well and thinking positive as I am. Love Laura xx

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    1. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 07:01

      Thanks so much Laura! I was very pleased to see you painting again since you posted this comment. Thinking of you and hoping you get the chance to keep the paintings coming! xx

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  11. Vicki Lee Johnston9 October 2015 at 10:50

    I think the portrait is beautiful, lucky girl! Thanks for your lovely comment on my FB page. Hope you are well and enjoying the beautiful spring weather.

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    1. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 07:03

      Thanks so much Vicki! Yes, definitely enjoying the spring weather - even the slightly wintry nights like tonight!
      I was so in awe of your latest rose painting - your botanical art is fabulous!

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  12. La Contessa16 October 2015 at 08:10

    CAN I FIND The BOOK in the USA?I will go check AMAZON.........and THANK YOU for leaving a comment over my way!!!LOve finding NEW people to follow!

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  13. Wendy Barrett18 October 2015 at 07:12

    You are very kind to be interested in my book Contessa and yes, you can find it on Amazon (clicking on the picture of my book will take you straight there!)
    I so love your fabulously vibrant and original blog!

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  14. Unknown19 October 2015 at 03:57

    Your book looks so intriguing... I have it on my wish list. And I'm in admiration and awe that you published it! That's such an accomplishment, Wendy! Wow! The portrait is perfect. Do you have it hanging in your home? It's a priceless heirloom that your daughter can have with her now, forever.

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    1. Wendy Barrett5 November 2015 at 18:28

      Thanks so much for you compliments and your interest Katherine! I hope to do more substantial portraits of both my daughters. This one is only 6 x 6" but I may still frame it at some point. Yes, it's nice to think that our work will be cherished by our children into the future.

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    2. Wendy Barrett5 November 2015 at 18:31

      P.S. I meant to say too that I am constantly inspired and in awe of the beautiful and original work that you do Katherine!

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  15. Kaethe Bealer19 October 2015 at 07:56

    Your daughter's portrait reminds me of your qualities of nurturance, beauty and creativity. I see these in everything you do Wendy!

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    1. Wendy Barrett5 November 2015 at 18:33

      Kaethe, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to thank you for this particularly lovely compliment! You are so kind! I am always blown away by your gorgeous sunny work!

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  16. juliefordoliver.blogspot.com19 October 2015 at 09:56

    The portrait works beautifully as a painting of a young woman.
    You noticed it doesn't really catch her the way you see her but
    a photo can do that too. You have made a beautiful painting... it has emotion and lovely surroundings. I say pat yourself on the back!
    Great idea to encourage readers to send in photos. That will be fun to see.

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    1. Wendy Barrett5 November 2015 at 18:39

      Thanks so much Julie. That's a good insight about photos also not always capturing a person's likeness as we see it. I do actually love the painting for the emotion and surroundings even though to me it doesn't capture my daughter as well as I'd like - you read it so well! I have been stunned by the beautiful paintings you do while being a passenger in a car!

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  17. Alexandra MacVean21 October 2015 at 13:32

    Wonderful sketch, Wendy. And those flowers are beautiful. Love the collection of photos. :)

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    1. Wendy Barrett5 November 2015 at 18:39

      Thanks so much for visiting Alexandra! I'm impressed that you are illustrating so many children's books. Well done!

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