Expecting

I painted this one a little differently than the others I've done so far. I tried a different "bottom up" approach after watching some video of a few artists I really like paint and I wanted to see if I could use some of the techniques I saw them use. I am quite proud of this one...I think it shows how much progress I've made in terms of...well, a lot of things! Execution, technique, color, composition, anatomy, and just getting better at using Photoshop. Compare this image with a painting I did back in the Early Days of this blog, for instance, and hopefully you'll agree.

I wasn't sure whether to include the earring, as I liked the face without it too, but I do like how it turned out in the end.

The overall composition of the thing came about quite by accident. I find that a great number of good things happen in my art that way: by accident. I guess Bob Ross was right about "happy accidents."

I actually ended up entering this one in an art contest...we'll see what happens with that!

As for an "explanation" of the image (my husband always wants one!), I guess I'd say that I was trying to portray the beauty of a pregnant woman. I'm currently pregnant, and I'm not saying this is how I look (ha!) but I see it in others and wanted to convey the feeling. I like how the skin turned out all transluscent. I thought at first that it looked kind of dead, but I think now that it really fits in with the other glowing things around her, kind of helps her to glow too.

There is also a question of whether she is standing up against a tapestry or lying down on a rug. I guess that's up for you to decide...the light might tell you one thing while the position of the earring might tell you another. If she is lying down, then she is probably taking a well-deserved nap.

And a close up of the face...since I'm so inclined.