Ali thought that her true self was best represented in jeans. That’s how she wants to be remembered.
Ali’s mother asked me sort of timidly what I would think about a casual oil portrait of her beautiful teenage daughter in jeans. She actually liked the idea but was worried that I might not. I exclaimed “Terrific!” without reservation. I think it is great when a teenager has an opinion about how they want to be remembered.
Soon after that we did the photoshoot and got some wonderful shots. Next and as usual, I enjoyed the time I spent with the sketch of this pretty girl becoming more and more real as she looked out at me from my easel while I painted. When the portrait was finished both mother and daughter were very proud of their new very special oil painting. Later on the mother wrote me this kind note:
“When I first saw the portrait of Ali, it absolutely just took my breath away. I had had such a dread of coming over to see it when it was done because I thought there was no way that it would fulfill my expectations. But you captured Ali completely. It reminds me of Ali’s beauty both inside and out, and how proud we are of her, and how much we love her. Now, many months later, she is away at school and having the portrait is something that makes it seem as if she is here with us. When I pass it by, it means so much, not just because it looks like her, but it also gives the feeling of her—it captures Her!”
This is exactly what I personally find so valuable about portraits. You can imagine how rewarding it is for me to hear it of my work. A family’s casual oil portrait or a very formal one, it’s all about the inner beauty of the sitter and how you love to be reminded of them.
Call or email me for help with your oil portrait of choice!
Related posts and pages:
Custom Painted Oil Portrait of Teenage Radiance
Youth Looks Ahead in This Classic Oil Portrait
Teen Oil Portraits
