This original oil portrait commission came to me 
from a client who wanted to give someone a really big thank you. He bought 2 children’s head and shoulder portraits from me and presented this fantastic present in the form of a gift certificate. This lucky family came over to view my studio with their 2 boys. We got acquainted, looked at portraits on the walls and in portfolios, and then took photo references of the boys. The parents upgraded their gift certificate to 2 portraits showing, as you can see here in the older boy’s painting, the “three-quarter pose” which includes the hands (in pockets this time).
When I had finished the paintings, the mother came over to pick them up. It was so nice seeing her again and experiencing her reaction. Here’s what she said first and then what she said when she called her husband in our presence:
“Oh, my god, they are beautiful! They are perfect! You captured the sweetness of both of them. It’s breathtaking. Look at how sweet they are. It’s making me cry. It’s phenomenal. Look at their little faces. Tristan’s little fingers, holding his other little finger. You could not have captured those two little boys any better. It’s interesting, you can see how their smiles are the same and so are the shapes of their eyes.
“I could not be more pleased. I’m at a loss of words. I wasn’t expecting it to be so emotional. [Still tearing, now with tissue wiping her eyes.]
“They have a sweetness and a gentleness. And the focal point is their little cheeks and noses. You captured the mischievousness (if that is a word) of this one (the younger one) and the sweetness of Devin (the older one).
“I’m just blown away.”
On phone to her husband: “Yes! It has brought me to tears. She captured them and I was moved to tears.
“What else is really cool—the background blends together from one painting to the other.
“Their eyes are so alive—like they are looking at me. They’re giving me that sweet look just before doing something they know they shouldn’t. ‘I didn’t do that! I’m good!’
Then she turned to me and said:
“It’s been a wonderful experience working with you.”
And I couldn’t agree more.
I had actually briefly touched on this account in a Christmas blog, but someone asked me about the larger story so I thought I would write about it here today. You can see the younger brother in that earlier blog here:
Other Related Posts:
- Portrait Oil Painting in Brown and White Tones
- Oil Portraits of Children: A “Little Angel”
- Children Oil Portraits for Mother’s Day
