I agree with everything that's been said, and I especially agree with every word of Chris' post. Sorry for being so unoriginal, but this is an exceptional painting. Bravo!

David

My, my...what is this??!! What a beautiful piece of work! Your ability to convey a specific carved out space with the figures IN that space is amazing! And the figures are so alive, each one a world of its own. Such an honor to see this here... makes me want to see it in person.
VERY nice!

Tony, Chris, Sharon, David, and Carlos-thanks so much!

Tony, it was nice to see you, too, at the Mancini show. That was a fun day and a wonderful show.

Chris, how can I tell you how much I appreciate what you say? I was really inspired and energized by this opportunity to paint a family group. Maybe if I had to do ten in a year it might be harder to maintain the stamina!

Sharon, the Hogarth show was at the Tate. Although I planned this and had the photo session before seeing the Hogarth exhibit, I do remember being struck particularly by The Graham Children, and thinking to myself, "Now THAT's the kind of thing I want to aim for!" See below.

David, don't worry about being unoriginal It gives me a chance to appreciate the same words over again. :)

Carlos, you are very generous! I consider your compositions of figures in spaces to be masterful, convincing, and beautifully composed.

Thank you so much Alex. I have been having trouble with creating convincing space using reference photos. I am not knowledgeable enough in photography to know how to correct them. You have given me a clear place to begin.

Sharon, thanks again! That Hogarth is so inspiring in person. The children really feel alive and the whole portrait does have a delightful feeling about it.

Mary, you are welcome. I actually don't think you need much knowledge of photography, just a good eye and a lot of intuition about what looks right. Even then it helps to have a second or third (artist's) opinion. I am including some sketches I made, not real sketches of the actual children, but conceptual sketches that I did while playing with different ideas for the composition. Also, here is the photo-montage I made. I printed different sized figures (of the closer children) and cut them out, then tried each one to see which size looked right against the background of the children on the couch. I'm not an expert with Photoshop, and I prefer doing this than layering images and making my reference look perfect. I would rather keep the idea in my head an have all the bits of information separate. I hope this helps a little bit.

Alex, I am speechless on this one: what a remarkable, vigorous and beautifully crafted painting! The paint handling manages to be fresh and sensitive at the same time. I love the interchange between the siblings here and the way you have arranged them in this space. Anyone who has struggled with multiple children in a painting should save this one in a special file.

Such a strongly designed, intelligent piece - and another one of yours that I wish I had painted. This one is a real treasure.

Thank you, Linda!"Struggling" is the word. I find that, in these group portraits, it's not good to have too clear an idea of what you want to do beforehand in case the subjects don't fit the idea. On the other hand, when you leave things slightly up in the air, you never know if you have enough information or the right kind of information to make all the parts work together.

In this case I couldn't go back on a second day, but I think it's important for artists to throw away the notion that it is "unprofessional" to keep reworking a painting or taking more reference shots or changing your mind until you are satisfied.

Alex,
This is truly an amazing portrait. I keep going back to it and see new things each time. Thank you for sharing your whole process including that list of things to look for. I have printed it out for future reference. I am so taken with the casualness of the painting as though we have just happened by chance on this moment. . Along with the careful planning of the composition, the icing on the cake is the wonderful execution with those marvelous brushstrokes. The whole painting is very fresh and alive.

Cynthia

Well you certainly rose to the "challenge"! This took my breath away when I clicked on it. I think I gasped out loud.I LOVE candid paintings like this and would give anything if that was of my children hanging on my wall!

Thank you, Cynthia and Mary, for your very nice comments! I am glad you feel it is "casual" and "candid" as if the viewer happened to come upon the children playing. I wanted there to be a connection between the children and the observer, as if the viewer just walked in and the children were reacting spontaneously. It's good to know this comes across.