Simon Taylor’s Latest Portrait

Chloe & Ellie
acrylic on linen 40 x 30 inches
Click image to view larger version in frame

I produced this portrait over the summer months from July to October. It was commissioned as a gift for my clients wife for her 40th birthday, and features their two daughters.

It is one of the more complex portraits I have painted over recent times and much time was spent creating the composition which features the strong diagonals of the piano, skirting board and window frame, balanced with the verticals of the curtains, lamp and the position of the girls. I wanted to produce a contemporary image with a feel of immediacy and life.

I used a limited palette with high contrast using traditional painting methods. I began with a few small studies to assist in understanding the lighting and colour. The final painting began as a line drawing with a simple tonal wash of sepia to establish the light and dark values. Thin layers of paint were then added to build up the finished work. Finally a layer of varnish was added.