"Staying Clean (Mostly)" by Valorie Snyder, oils, 14 x 11
This little girl was a study of contrasts. While she enjoyed being a princess for a little while, she is an active outdoor kid, unaccustomed to worrying about her clothes. She reminded me of the way we attempt to present ourselves to the world as “having it all together,” while inside we often feel rumpled and crumpled and very much not together. But she wasn’t concerned about that—she was having too much fun!
In creating this painting, I decided to play up the contrasts. I contrasted her fancy dress by placing her in her preferred outdoor environment. The lighting, high and from behind, created natural contrasts which set the mood for this fleeting moment.
Because the view was frontal, I wanted to avoid a too-static composition. To create some movement, I used highlights to emphasize the diagonals in the angle of her shoulders and the lines of her dress. I also angled and varied the tree line in the background and angled the log slightly. I painted her dress loosely, to create movement and to create the feeling that she won’t be sitting still very long! (And she didn't).
In creating this painting, I decided to play up the contrasts. I contrasted her fancy dress by placing her in her preferred outdoor environment. The lighting, high and from behind, created natural contrasts which set the mood for this fleeting moment.
Because the view was frontal, I wanted to avoid a too-static composition. To create some movement, I used highlights to emphasize the diagonals in the angle of her shoulders and the lines of her dress. I also angled and varied the tree line in the background and angled the log slightly. I painted her dress loosely, to create movement and to create the feeling that she won’t be sitting still very long! (And she didn't).
