One-year-old girl

[Richard Bingham]

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

. . .I do have to disagree with her comments about children's head proportions. At approximately one to three years old the center of the head lies at the eyebrow line . . .

That's just so. "Formulae" for the average head construction of children is less noted in most "how to" books, observation from the life is most valuable. Another "earmark" of the very young is outsized eyes . . .

For another source of "average construction" of the head and figure for all ages, see Andrew Loomis' Figure Drawing for All Its Worth Viking Press, 1942

[Alexandra Tyng]

OK, you two, I stand corrected! I was thinking of the eye area rather than the eyeball specifically, but I should have been more specific, and children's heads do have more up there--it's all that potential.

[Chuck Yokota]

Alexandra, Sharon, and Richard,

Thank you for your critiques. I see from my reference that she did have her chin slightly tucked, which I did not show in the portrait. She was very active; with both her parents trying to hold her, she was a blur in most of the photos. I will need to understand color harmony better.

Here is the reference.

[Michele Rushworth]

I wouldn't paint from this photo, mostly because the mouth is a blur and trying to guess what it would look like will be impossible.

[Chuck Yokota]

Michelle,

Thank you for your good advice. I wish I did have a better reference. I took well over a hundred photos, and this was by far the best of the lot. I don't have enough windows to make the room light enough to use a fast shutter speed. With a child this active, it really was a problem.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Chuck, you could always take 100 more! If your space doesn't have enough light, maybe the clients' home does. Instead of making do with less than optimal conditions, it is important to create optimal conditions before you even pick up a brush. I am thinking of your hard work and precious time.

[Michele Rushworth]

Some subjects are just the wrong age to be painted, also. I know artists who won't paint a child under the age of 4 because they're often too wiggly.