The Eyes Have It

I honestly think that this is your best portrait. The fact that you haven't painted the top her head draws the viewer to her remarkable eyes. It's a really lovely portrait of Tabitha and well done!

She certainly does have amazing eyes which you have captured so well, this portrait gallery of yours is wonderful and will become a family treasure!

this is gorgeous Thea. I agree with Louise that it's your best yet. I love the lightness of your touch in portraits. Mine often end up feeling a bit tight and tied down! I especially love the colour in her lips. can I be very cheeky and ask you what colours you used? I just can't quite get the mix right! Well done!

I agree with Louise, Thea, this is probably one of your best. Gorgeous clear colors which capture so brilliantly the delicacy and vulnerability of a child and the eyes really hold the viewer's attention. It's a gorgeous painting!

So delicate and beautifully painted Thea, and I like what you've done with the background.

Thank you so much Louise, Debs, Ellie, Seok and Lesley for being so kind about the portrait. I did sweat blood a bit about aspects of it so I am chuffed to bits with your comments. Ellie, not cheeky at all - we must all share ideas - for the lips I used Cadmium Red, Yellow Ochre with a tiny touch of Holbein's Carmine. Cad red and Yellow ochre are my standard skin tone colours and I add a touch of carmine if it needs warming up. I also use carmine with cobalt blue and also cerulean depending on what is needed. The biggest problem is getting the right skin tone in the first hit as I don't like to go over the skin once I have set it as I find you lose the transparency (although both the colours I mainly use are rather opaque but if used in a single layer don't seem to appear too dense, so I can get away with it).

Another lovely portrait Thea to your porfolia. Love the softness of the colours and her eyes are just beautiful. A really well painted portrait

Thank you very much, Glennis, for your encouraging comment. I actually have Tabitha here with me at my house as I write this and she is very busy re-organising my house as it obviously isn't up to her exacting standards!! Gosh, just imaging her in a few years time.

Yes, a lovely potrait of a lovely young lady, well done Thea.

Shes just so cute cant wait to be a gran myself but Laurens only 22 so have to wait!!beautiful work thanks for your comments:)Linda

They are all right, Thea, this is one of your best portraits. But we say that every time, so as someone once said to me: "Your best painting is always the next one" . And yes indeed: her eyes are stunning and you captured their beauty perfectly.

This is lovely Thea, what wonderful portraits you paint of your grandchildren, much appreciated by your family I'm sure.

A very good portrait of a beautiful little grand daughter who led me to a string of other portraits of yours. Watercolour portraits do not always work well but when they do they are wonderful like yours. I did one of my 2 year old grandson...... so so ...and have not ttried again

Thank you so much Steven. Linda, Mia, Christine and Siv for your compliments. It is wonderful to get such feedback and makes this gallery such an encouraging place to post a painting. Siv, do try again as each one you do you learn something that moves you forward. Portraits of children are so satisfying as they change so quickly and they become a wonderful reminder of that moment in time.

Its lovely Thea and so is Tabitha, well done .

What a cutie - our daughter has just had a little boy a few days ago and only wish I could do portaraits to this standard - well done Thea

A really nice portrait Thea. so well painted, like it a lot and agree with comments already made on this piece.well done.

I agree with everyone about Tabitha's stunning eyes but I'm surprised no one has mentioned how natural and soft looking you've painted her mouth. I think mouths are the hardest part but you've made it look so easy.

Thank you so much William, Michael, Graham and Val for your positive and encouraging comments. Val, I actually think mouths are as important as eyes as they convey a lot of vulnerability, especially in a child's face, so thank you for your compliment about that. By the way, The dreaded exhibition is almost upon me (February) and it will be nice to be able to include this painting in it now that all you nice people on POL have given me the confidence to do so.

Before reading your description I found the colour of the eyes striking.It works very well .

Well titled Thea, beautiful portrait.

Thank you David and Fiona for your nice comments. Fiona, it is funny how titles just come into your head and that one did while I was still in the process of painting it. I like paintings to have titles as it gives a bit of a clue about what attracted an artist to the subject in the first place - don't you agree?

I do agree Thea, and if like me, some viewers need a title to get the picture, pardon the pun! :) You could have left this untitiled though, as Tabitha smiles with her eyes not just her mouth.

Well ! What more can I say it's just a lovely painting.

The eyes certainly do have it. She looks so sweet! I like how you have used only a little piece of background behind her hair. It emphasizes her eyes more.

Thea, thank you so much for your very kind and encouraging comment on my painting, I really appreciate your support. I wish you all the very best with your exhibition, I wish I could have a chance to view it as I admire your work greatly. I am sure it wiil be a success :) Petra

Thank you, Petra, for your encouragement about my exhibition. I did take some photos of it and contemplated posting one on the gallery, but decided in the end that it probably wasn't the place for it. Thank you also Fiona, Joy and Sarah for your lovely comments. I have included this painting in my exhibition and happily it has had some nice feedback.

Hello Thea. I should have written to you anyway to compliment you on this fabulous portrait! I've just painted my niece (7 years old) and have struggled a bit. I tend to seek out the flaws and blemishes that make us unique, whereas in small children (bless 'em), all individuality is concentrated in the features. You understand this perfectly and thus capture the innocence of their beings. It could be done with big bold sploshes too I suppose, but somehow it would betray the subject matter! Perhaps a touch more contrast in the background would make a difference, but it's perfect as it is.

Love this Thea!! You have been busy Thea what a great portfolio of portraits! Watercolor is a very difficult medium to paint portraits, very well done!!

Hi Thea thanks so much for your lovely comment on my latest pastel portrait Jean-Marie, thanks for taking a look