How did you capture the light coming in the window?
I used oil paint. Unlike acrylics, which dry quickly and look flat, oil is forgiving. You can just keep adding layer after layer of detail. As I painted, I thought of the directionality of the light. If you look at the way I painted the blinds, you’ll see that the center of each piece of metal is lighter than the edges. It works because that’s what you see when you look at blinds with light pouring through them in real life.
Why did you choose these colors?
I followed the old saying “Paint what you see rather than what you think you see.” Instead of painting what I think of as skin tones—browns, pinks, and peaches—I painted colors that I actually saw. I used reds to illustrate a point of light shining through the girl’s nostril and purples where the blind’s shadows streak across her face. I tried not to overdo it, while still pushing my color palette to make the painting more realistic and effective.
Do you have any advice for aspiring artists like yourself?
Don’t wait to be inspired—take action, try an idea out, and finish it. To create your best art, you have to get your hands dirty, experiment, and work at it. That’s the only way you’ll know if an idea is worthwhile.