Acrylic Child Portrait in Black & White

Capturing the character of a child is always a desire of mine. In this black & white child portrait I have used pencil to sketch in the child and then used acrylic paints onto board. The acrylics are watered down to place layers of differing shades of black, one upon the other. This gives a free effect behind the subject in order to bring out contrasts.

To achieve impact in child portraits, I create light and shade to the subject. Light is everything in child portraits, as it brings life, especially in the eyes.

A Child portrait can also be achieved in gouache watercolour, pastel or oil paints, each medium will have a different feel. Pastel radiates a velvet warmth, gouache can bring a more detailed outcome. Oils and acrylics will produce a more flowing loose portrait.

Acrylics and oils are very similar painting mediums and can be used the same way. The benefit of acrylic over oils is that the painting is completed within a much shorter timescale.

Today’s acrylics are much richer in pigment and it is hard to distinguish them when comparing them to traditional oil paints.
I tend to use the brand, Winsor and Newton for gouache water colour, acrylic paint and oil paint.

Limited Edition Prints are available of the original painting through our own specialised printing service. Prints can be digitally enhanced, to create different effects that are fun and unusual. This means that your original painting remains where you want it too be.
A professional Bespoke Picture Framing service is also available at our Gallery Workshop in Exton in Rutland.

Please contact me with your ideas to see what I can do for you.

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