It's very satisfying to have a painting just work. I had such fun doing this one. Much about the photo was good: the matching positions of the heads, the color and detail opposites that helped focus on the child, the emotional quality. I had to pull the child's leg down from where she had tucked it behind, though. And I eliminated a bit of detail on the stone bench that I found distracting. Also, I eliminated the leaves blown about on the background grass for the same reason. All in all, I think it's successful. Since it was done as a commissioned piece for a friend living far away, it remains to be seen if she'll like it as well as I do. I would love to exhibit it before delivering it to her, but timing just isn't going to work out that way. I hope to have captured the "conversation" going on here. Don't you wonder what they're talking about?
