Have you ever worked on something for so long that it starts to blur, or you get so deep into the details that nothing makes sense anymore?
This painting had been drying on my easel for a few days.
At first glance, it seemed complete, but as the darker tones settled, details began to surface and I decided the painting isn't complete after all.
The shadow on that nose bridge is too dark. I need to bring a little highlight.
There needs to be more definition on those knit stitches, it looks so blurry right now. Probably because I accidentally smudged it with my arm. Oh crap now I have oil paint on my arm, hope it didn't get on my clothes.
I'll edit those now and that will be the last thing.
So I picked up my skinny brush while my inner critic said, "Classic. You don't know when to stop painting."
"You might be right," I acknowledged the thought and said "F* it, my studio, my rules." And kept on painting.
It reminded me of my coding days—those long hours staring at the screen, wrestling with a particularly nasty bug, only to find the solution the next day after stepping away for a bit.
In painting, that pause is essential. You get so focused on the tiny details that you lose sight of the bigger picture. Once, I even asked my sisters, "Is this ugly, or have I just been staring at it too long?"
My latest commission—a baby portrait—was a new challenge. My client trusted me to capture the moment in my style, changing the original photo so that the tubes on the babies weren't present. That trust felt like both an honor and a responsibility. Reference photo below:
Starting the Painting
I started with a simple sketch, revising it based on the client’s feedback, then moved on to the colors.
I used Photoshop to pull the mid-tones from the reference photo and organized them into warm and cool palettes.
With a cohesive color base, I began blocking in the layers. Patience is key here, something I’ve learned the hard way. I used to rush through layers, which left my early oil portraits muddy. Now, I let each layer dry fully before moving on, sticking to the "thin to thick" rule.
After a couple of days, the mid-tones settled in. I added warm and cool accents, focusing on the tartan pattern and knit hats. Each brushstroke was intentional, bringing the details to life. When the portrait felt right, I stopped.
@taguinaldoart #oilpainting #skintoskincontact #taguinaldoart ♬ Quiet Night - Charmer & Klay
I sent the photo the to the client, hoping it resonated with her.
They loved it! On to the next commission.