How to Paint Portraits of Children From Photographs

A relaxed, natural pose is a good reference to work from.

Creating a portrait of a child takes talent and skill. Kids squirm a lot. That's why many portrait artists choose to work from photographs instead of from a live model. Even though you are using a photograph as a reference, it is still important to observe the child you are going to paint from life as much as possible because that will provide you with a visual memory you can use along with a reference photograph.

Things You'll Need

• Photograph of a child
• Oil paints
• Stretched canvas or linen
• Easel
• Brushes

Instructions

1. 

   Try to use a reference image that has light coming from either side or even above to provide your portrait with form.

   Find at least one clear photograph to work with. Keep in mind that the more photographs you have of the same child, at about the same reference age, the better. Avoid photos that were taken with a flash, as flash photography flattens facial features and contours and washes out color from the child's face.

2. 

   If you are working from a digital photograph you can enlarge the image on your computer screen as you work.

   Either display your selected image on your computer screen next to your easel or print your image. The size of the head on your reference image should be at least as big as the size of an egg to provide you with detail as you create your portrait.

3. 

   Use the best paint possible to create your portrait with so it will last for a long time without fading.

   Create thumbnail sketches to help determine placement of the child on your canvas or paper. A small preliminary sketch can save time and troublesome mistakes later. Make an "X" from corner to corner on your thumbnail and place your subject's chin where the lines intersect for a classic portrait position.

4. Gather your paints. A basic palette for an oil portrait (that you can expand on later) comprises only four or five colors (plus white) that you mix to create many colors. Choose raw umber, cadmium red (or vermilion), yellow ochre, Indian red and ivory black. You can mix five values of each of these colors and some intermediary colors to have at your disposal as you paint.

5. Paint the area that will comprise the background a color that will set the mood for the portrait. Leave space for the head and shoulders.

6. Work to keep your brushstrokes soft in the initial stages of your portrait. Set the overall shape and form of the child's head by painting mass and values to reflect where shadows fall and where lighter areas appear.

7. Use at least five values to help model a likeness and solid form in your painting. These five values comprise the body tone (the part that is in the light), body shadow (the part that is away from the light), cast shadow (an area in shadow, like under the nose), reflections (a lighter value reflected into the shadow area) and highlights (the places where the light is the most intense). In your thumbnail sketches above, you can even number and label where these values will fall in general to provide you with a road map to painting your portrait.

8. Use brushstrokes with the sharpest edges on the areas where you want the most attention paid, like the eyes. For a painterly portrait, resist the temptation to fill in all the details, be selective and direct the viewer's eyes to the areas that are most meaningful to you.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that light reflects. So if your subject has on a bright yellow shirt, there will be some of the yellow from the shirt reflected on the skin, usually around the jaw area, since it will reflect upwards. The background too may be reflected in the skin tones. Look for these interesting details to bring light and life to your portrait. Practice a lot, as it takes years for professional portrait painters to master their art.

• Make sure you only use photographs that you own the copyright ffor (or have written permission to use).

References

• "Portraits in Oil the Van Wyk Way"; Helen Van Wyk; 2001
• "Painting Childrens Portraits in Pastel"; Wende Caporale; 2001
• World of Painting: Painting Children's Portraits
• "The Best of Portrait Painting"; Edited by Rachel Rubin Wolf; 2001
• "Painting Beautiful Skin Tones With Color & Light"; Chris Saper; 2001
• "An Atlas of Anatomy For Artists"; Fritz Schider; 1957

Resources

• Portrait Artist