Silhouette - for Beaux Arts Auction
 

Every April the Scottsdale Artists' School holds an auction of miniatures, painted by the many instructors who have taught there as well as a number of students. It's a miniature show (they ask for 5" x 7") so with even a small budget you can pick up some wonderful work. It's also great fun - lots of people come in costume, and the major restraunteurs all set up tasting stations.

That tiny format is way too small for me, but this year I got sort of close , 10" x 8". Oil on Wallis paper. This little painting will go in an oversize Baroque frame.

Here's the detail,just short of 1 1/2 " wide.

Just Lovely, Chris! Beautiful color.
Is this your 'brown shawl' girl?

She is beautiful Chris. Is this your daughter too? What do you do with all the portraits of your children? I am running out of wall space already and my oldest of 3 is only 6!

Your color, radiant! What an exquisite portrait.

Is that your daughter? Does she want to come out here and pose?

Beautiful. Very fresh, very painterly. I'm curious - how long did you work on this?

-David

Thank you all. Yes, my daughter Alexandra - my best model and always so willing. She'd love nothing more to come pose for you, I am sure, Sharon.

Mary, as to the wall space thing, well, I am giving this one away. I tend not to like my paintings as much once they're a couple of years old, so I put them away, and some I just pitch, but have to do so when I won't get caught. Plus I need to have some original samples around, and these are as good as any to have available.

David, this is a very tiny painting, and I would estimate took me about 15 hours of actual painting time. I am lucky to have a pretty extensive bank of photos these days, all of terrific models, so I am never at a loss for material. I will pull one out when I am trying out new materials/techniques for the first time, as it is a bad idea to experiment on a client's piece.

Hi Chris,

This is a little gem. It's so hard to paint that small and to do it so beautifully!

Jean

Terrific painting Chris,

Would you use these materials, oil paint on sanded paper, for a client? What is your paper mounted on?

Chris,

This is beautiful. I'm really impressed by the level of detail for such a small piece. I find that hard to do.