Samantha

Marvin Mattelson · 11-29-2004, 12:05 AM

This is a portrait of Samantha, a beautiful little jewel. I call this a portrait vignette. It has a more spontaneous quality than a fully realized portrait which I felt was perfect for portraying her. At the same time I was able to resolve the subtle modeling of her face. I have included a couple of enlargements.

There was no preliminary drawing. I just started drawing with fairly transparent paint on a canvas toned with a thin umber coat.

Lynn T. McCallum · 11-29-2004, 02:00 AM

How sweet she is, indeed! As usual Marvin, you have created another lovely painting!

Josef Sy · 11-29-2004, 08:46 AM

Lovely Marvin. She is a cutey pie. I always love portraits that show parts that are unfinished or the bare canvas. Its like one of Michelangelo's unfinished scultures. This is one of your masterpieces Marvin. Congratulations.

Mary Sparrow · 11-29-2004, 10:17 AM

OH MY Marvin, all of your portraits are wonderful, but since children's portraits are near and dear to my heart, and I happen to have a daughter that looks much like this child...this one made my heart skip a beat! Simply beautiful!

Linda Brandon · 11-29-2004, 11:46 AM

So beautiful, Marvin!

This one is truly a jewel. I know this because I held this (small!) painting in my arms and had to resist the urge to run down the hall with it and flee the jurisdiction.

Mike McCarty · 11-29-2004, 12:09 PM

Quote:

I held this (small!) painting in my arms and had to resist the urge to run down the hall with it and flee the jurisdiction.

Linda,

You have made a terrible mistake. What's the worst that could have happened? Six months at Ellis Island? Well worth the price paid.

Thanks Marvin, I am someone that learns from seeing, more so than hearing or reading. These examples help me a great deal.

Erika Nelson · 11-30-2004, 01:06 PM

Breathtakingly perfect!

Tom Edgerton · 11-30-2004, 01:25 PM

Marvin--

Just wonderful! Thanks for always raising the bar...

Best--TE

Claudemir Bonfim · 11-30-2004, 02:43 PM

Simply Great!

Do you prime your canvas yourself?

Marvin Mattelson · 11-30-2004, 04:00 PM

Erika, Tom and Claudemir, thanks, I really appreciate your feedback.

Tom, I think that some of those dead artists have set the bar ridiculously high. Today I just received a book I ordered on Joseph DeCamp. Wow! Was he ever good. He was considered the top portrait artist in America during the first part of the 20th Century. I had seen his last painting at the museum in Atlanta and was blown away.

Claudemir, I used Claussens SP13. I'm too impatient to lead prime my own and wait until it cures.