Principessa | 9×12 | Oil on Linen Panel

Inspiration for Principessa

Principessa started as an alla prima head study of a young lady of Italian ancestry. I particularly liked the way her mouth naturally opened slightly as she fell into a reverie. She looks as though she’s about to speak! Another facet of this portrait I enjoy is her jet-black hair. Shiny black hair generally creates a bluish highlight that is always fun to capture in paint. Between completing this little portrait and re-watching Donato Giancola’s “Joan of Arc” painting DVD, I’m super-inspired to do a big, narrative figurative piece!