Family portrait commission
phase 2

This stage of the painting is after about 6 to 8 hours of painting. I decided to work on the background which is getting close to completion. The big tree will have to be simplified more and I am trying to find the right colors for the lights and darks. I plan to put some of the big leaves in front of the tree like what is seen in the photo. I think in doing so it will break up the strong heavy shape of the tree. After the background is complete I plan to work on the dogs. Then will come the reworking of the faces, upon which most of my painting hours will be spent. Also, I guess it's important to note that in this digital image the colors are not exact. No matter how many shots I take at different settings getting the true color is pretty much impossible. If you click on the picture you should be able to see a larger version, then click to return.