Portrait Of A Little Girl: Valley Gardens, Harrogate

Session 5: Painting the background. After brushing in the shapes and dark values of the background I went back in with a palette knife and added thicker paint. There is still more to do but at this point I am going to move on to her dress and let it rest for a while. Even as I write this and look at the photo I see things I want to fix and change. I think I will soften some of the edges on the leaves and simplify the branches a bit more.

Portrait Of A Little Girl: In Valley Gardens, Harrogate

Stage 3: Painting the face.

My inspiration for painting images of Northern England has not left me yet. This image of Elena in the Valley Gardens of Harrogate has been on my mind for at least a year now. Throughout the past year of painting landscapes and lambs of North Yorkshire the desire to paint this portrait has stayed with me and was growing stronger. Suddenly, I knew it was time. 

The Valley Gardens are peaceful and beautiful year round. Adding Elena to the setting was ideal.

Stage 2: Blocking in the shapes with color.

Stage 1: With a loose wash of paint thinned with mineral spirits I painted her figure and shape of the fence.