It started at a simple school Halloween party, then it turned deadly...
This is a portrait of my own deadly little doll. The photographer managed this shot from about 20 feet away, but she still sensed the presence of the camera on her.
Acrylic on canvas.
The original image. Some kids have a “Spidey-sense” when there’s a camera pointed at them, my girl has it with a vengeance. The photographer was all the way across the room but she felt the camera on her. The expression on her face just added to the look of her costume and make-up.
Excusing the mass of toys in the background, this shows the pencil transfer and blocking in the basic shapes. I always keep a photo print of my reference beside me as I work. If there’s anything my Dad made sure to drill in our heads, its reference, reference, reference! You can always add your own nuance to a piece, but always have reference.
I should have taken more work-in-progress photos, but you know what it’s like when you’re focused on a project. Looking back, I should have completed her face before putting in the black yarn hair. This was my first time working in acrylics, so I’m still learning. I had thought the hardest part was going to be the see-through fabric. Turned out her eyes were the hardest part.