primogenito

Christmas gifting is so much easier when you have a knack for art.  It's cheaper and it means a lot more.  This past holiday season, I made a few digital portrait paintings of "first born" children in my family.

Lily is the first born child of my brother Tag and his wife Tracy (family blog).  She was the guinea pig of this little series of projects.  It's one thing to mess around with art in the privacy of your own home, and it's another thing completely to try finishing something that needs to be somewhat presentable to others.

Next up is Charlie.  He is the first of my sister Shelly and her husband Dave (family blog).  He came a little bit easier after everything I learned from painting Lily.  I wasn't quite sure how to do the background.  I kind of faked my way through that.  I probably should have looked at some reference paintings to get a feel for it. 

And last was my sister Shelly who is the oldest of us three, presented as a gift to my mom.  

I completed these in mid-December and looking at them now I can already see tons of things I would have altered or done differently if I would have spent a little more time. They all could probably do for a few more hours of touch work and a quick cleaning of a few edges.  The recipients, however, were very grateful.  

And speaking of primogenitors, I mustered up one of my own this weekend.

Clara Giles, my new best friend and daughter.