Alaskan Raven Studio

Art in Alaska. Story of an Alaskan artist.

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Portraits are a Treasure

December 26, 2013 by alaskanraven

It has been several years since I painted portraits. I chose a subject that I knew very well. I put fresh oil paint on the palette and got to work.

Loose brush strokes
I wanted to achieve a likeness but keep the brush strokes loose and lively. I like loose sketchy lines and open areas of canvas. Being able to see the action of brushstrokes makes it feel more fresh and interesting to me.

Composition considerations
The main emphasis is on her eyes. I spaced the other darks in her hair and background to make the eye flow around the composition. I chose colors that complemented her hair and complexion.

Added meaning
I emphasized the earrings because they hold a special memory from her great grandmother.

9"x12" oil painting, "Darcy"
9″x12″ oil painting, “Darcy”

I loved being able to give her something special for her birthday. She will be able to hand this down to her children.
Future generations will be able to see her beautiful, warm smile in a way that photos can’t capture.

Happy Birthday to my daughter, Darcy!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: composition, painting, portrait

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Raven Ramblings

A Poet’s Homestead

He built the cabin on his homestead in 1947. Lived off the land. Trapped. Survived harsh winters. He was trained as an artist and planned to paint in Alaska but his paints froze so he ‘drew’ with words instead. Prose and poetry earned him awards. Fellowships. National recognition. My friend and I hike around his […]

Prince of the Arctic

Kroma Bear: Prince of the Arctic 6′ x 4′ painting on Sky Cloth by Raven $1500. sold Prince lumbered all the way down to Dallas, Texas to be with his new Ravenistas. I am thrilled they are giving him a good home. I love Texas. My dad was born in that big and beautiful state. […]

More Adventures

contact me with questions or comments

Alaskan Raven Studio
PO Box 80231
Fairbanks, Alaska 99708
USA
alaskanblackbird@yahoo.com

 

Represented by:
Well Street Art Co.
1302 Well Street
Fairbanks, Alaska
907 452-6169

Stephan Fine Arts
939 West 5th Ave.
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
USA
(907) 274-5009
http://www.stephanfinearts.com/

more about Raven

I ventured to Alaska before there was an oil pipeline and fell in love with the gnarly spruce trees, intense weather and mountains I could touch. Very different from the landscape in St. Louis. I was looking for different. The spruce trees: those scraggy, wizened, lanky conifers danced onto the first page of my sketch […]

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