Newborn Baby Watercolor Portrait - Fighting Sleep

I think this baby is finished but will leave it for a few days to decide if it needs tweaking. He looks like a little old man which goes with he personilty totally as he is so serious about everything. I have titled this portrait "Fighting Sleep" as he was trying so hard to stay awake but failed miserably ;)

Newborn Baby Watercolor Portrait wip 2

Many more layers have been added to build up the shape and add texture to the hair. The object the baby is lying on is from imagination and is not really a blanket or mattress. I wanted to mimic the shape of the baby but add a contemporary feel.

Newborn Baby Watercolor Portrait

This is the start of my latest painting. It is of my own baby boy fighting sleep but losing the battle. It is going to be done as a monochromatic painting in watercolor. I really like the effects of monochromatic artwork whether it be black and white as with pencil or graphite drawings or a single color.

Watercolor Portrait of Baby Boy Completed

This commission for grandma is completed! This baby was alot of fun to paint as he has such a cute expression and amazing eyes! I love painting or drawing children as they just have the funniest expressions, you can almost hear the thought process!

Watercolor Portrait of Baby Boy Commissioned for Grandma

This is the start of a watercolor portrait commissioned as a gift for the grandma of this baby boy. He just had his first birthday and was playing with one of the many gifts his grandma had given him for his birthday.

Watercolor Portrait of Baby Girl Completed

Well I think my first attempt at this watercolor portrait is completed. I will leave it a few days just to be sure but I am pretty happy with it. I lifted out some highlights and touched up a few areas. I may add more detail to the hair and I need to fix the pupils a touch but need to wait until they are completely dry. I tend to run into trouble due to my impatience and not waiting for the paint to be completely dry....aha what can you do ;)

Baby Girl's First Birthday Graphite Portrait Completed

Well this cute little baby girl's portrait is completed just in time for her first birthday. Some of the transitions still look a little harsh in the scan from dark to light but it is much more gradual in the completed portrait.

I hope her mommy and daddy enjoy it! I will be sad to see her go as I have gotten a little attached ;) I think that is why I sometimes tend to fiddle around a bit at the end, separation anxiety ;)

Baby Girl's First Birthday Graphite Portrait - WIP6

I just did a few minor tweaks and drew this cutie's eyelashes and brows. I still need to even out a few of the highlights but want to let the graphite settle into the paper a bit first.

I will leave the portrait for a day to get a bit of distance and then make the final tweaks as needed but she is pretty much completed. Again, online the transition between the lights and darks can be a little harsh looking but in the real portrait they are quite subtle but still provide contrast to capture her character.

Baby Girl's First Birthday Graphite Portrait - WIP4

Well, she looks much better with 2 eyes! More layers have been drawn using a 2B graphite pencil for her skin. Her hair has been drawn with 2B, B, HB, F and 3H graphite pencils, blending as I go and adding some of the highlights.

For her eyes, I used 2B, HB and 3H graphite pencils to draw the iris. The pupil was drawn with 2B and HB only being careful not to add too much of a shine to the paper. I like to bring all of the different areas of the face to near completion and then hone in on the details so no area is complete until the end of the portrait. It is really starting to look like this cute little baby girl though I think :)

Baby Girl's First Birthday Graphite Portrait - WIP3

Just a quick update! I have drawn many many more layers of 2B, HB and F graphite pencils. Just slowly building up the layers of the graphite portrait of this cutie!

Baby Girl's First Birthday Graphite Portrait - WIP2

I have drawn a bit more skin tone values throughout using 2B and H graphite pencils. The lips have been drawn using 2B, B, HB and H graphite pencils. The teeth will be finished last and the lips still need some adjustments which will be done nearer the end of the portrait. I tend to jump around the portrait a bit when I draw as I like to let the graphite settle into the paper.

Baby Girl's First Birthday Graphite Portrait - WIP1

I have drawn the darkest areas on her face and below her jaw to establish the tones using my trusty 2B graphite pencil. Then it is a matter of adding more layers to build up the shadows. Her right eye has been built up but will need more tweaking later. I am leaving the left eye for now as I hope to get another reference photo as her dark brown eyes are a little dark in my existing reference photo.

Baby Girl's First Birthday Graphite Portrait - Sketch

I have drawn the rough outline with an HB graphite pencil and darkened it in photoshop so that the lines could be seen on the computer. The reference photo is below.

Baby Girl's First Birthday Portrait Commission

This adorable little girl is the subject of my next graphite portrait commission. She is such a cutie and looks like she is full of spunk! This portrait will be in celebration of her first birthday which is coming up shortly.