Figurative Painting | ElaineFogel Art

Custom Paintings Make Special Gifts

When three of my close friends recently celebrated new grandbabies, I decided to create personalized paintings as gifts. After all, toys and baby accessories would soon be outgrown, but a unique piece of art can hang in a child’s room for a long time.

So, I researched concepts and came up with a different theme for each one. The first one born was a girl, Clara.

I chose a floral theme which she may appreciate well into her teens. It turns out that her parents decorated her room in a forest theme, so it fits in perfectly!

The next baby born was a boy, Teddy. This time I selected a galaxy/space theme.

The most recent baby born was Gordon, aka Gordy. Here, I chose an underwater theme.

I had such fun working on these that I decided to offer custom gift paintings for any occasion. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, babies, bar/bat mitzvahs,… you name it!

If you’re interested in a child’s custom name painting, contact me to discuss themes, concepts, and costs!

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What Do Her Eyes Say to You?

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The free photo I used to create this painting captured my attention. Not only is this young girl physically beautiful, she is also mysterious.

What’s going through her mind? Is she scared, anxious, or simply lost in thought?

When I asked my friends to help me title this painting, they recommended several similar words: pensive, wary, forlorn, uncertain, apprehensive, contemplative, and observant. I see all these emotions in this young girl’s eyes. Perhaps, she’s thinking about her future with trepidation or is unsettled about an incident. Either way, her eyes draw you in to wonder.

So, tell me. What do her eyes say to you?

Take a peek at the painting’s details here.

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Little Sailor Girl Exudes Mystery and Innocence

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The photo of this young girl in a sailor dress attracted my attention because her gaze captivated me and she has a beautiful face. But, I struggled with a good title.

So, I asked my Facebook friends to help with the title and several words appeared: innocence, mystery, deep in thought, and a sense of being lost. It’s interesting how they saw different expressions in her face.

Once I finalized the details, I didn’t like her set against a solid background, so I stippled white on top and it softened the effect considerably.

What do you think she’s thinking?

You can view the painting’s details here.

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Acrylic painting of two young African-American girsl by Elaine Fogel

Sunday Besties in the Backyard

Figurative Painting / elainefogelart

When I saw the public domain photo of these two young girls, I was immediately attracted to their closeness. They appeared to be best friends, one supporting the other on the step down into the backyard.

I imagined that they had just arrived home from church in their Sunday best. Maybe they would play a while before lunch, or explore the wooded area behind the house. It’s a sunny day and anything is possible.

The most challenging and fun part of painting this was the girls’ dresses. I wanted to get the fabric folds and creases accurate. It was certainly a trial and error endeavor.

I also altered the hair style of the girl on the right finding pigtails less cumbersome to paint than cornrow braids. Perhaps I’ll tackle that another time. 😌

Check out this painting.

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Powder Skiing is for the Brave

Figurative Painting / elainefogelart

Powder skiing is not for everyone. According to Claire Barber in her Ski Magazine article, “Powder skiing is the holy grail of ski conditions. Yet surprisingly, many people don’t feel comfortable skiing deep powder.”

Well, I know someone who adores it, lives for it, and dreams about it. My husband, Allen.

Having grown up on skis in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal, Quebec, his nuclear family were all avid skiers. It went without saying that both weekend days would be spent at the hill where they had season passes. My late mother-in-law would prepare a knapsack with lunch – often a thermos of hot soup, cut-up veggies, sandwiches or leftovers, and, of course, whichever cookies or cake she had baked the day before.

It was a whole scene.

When I was dating Allen seriously, it was “do or die” on the ski front. If I wanted to join this family, I had better try very hard to enjoy it. And, I did, but I never reached more than an intermediate level – certainly NOT powder level! And, it’s been eons since I’ve had ski boots on my feet.

Years have passed and now we live in Arizona, driving distance to some of the country’s best ski resorts. Allen and his “powder” friends now eagerly watch the snow reports for the forecasts. And, they follow the snow. No flights, no cancellation insurance, just an SUV filled with the “right” necessities.

This painting is for brave Allen. Maybe when he’s too old to ski any longer, he’ll look at it and reminisce the good ‘ole powder days.

To view products and prints with this image, visit my Redbubble shop!

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Kids Make the Best Portrait Painting Subjects

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When I first started painting, I thought portraits would be a real challenge. So I began with children, thinking they would be a good place to begin. No wrinkles, no bags, no makeup to get right.

I discovered license-free photos of these kids and tackled each one separately. First, I created the neutral background color so as not to distract from their beautiful faces. Then, I sketched each face with a graphite pencil onto the canvas.

The challenge was to get the distance from the eyes to the nose to the mouth correct. Once I completed the boy on the bottom, I stepped back, feeling a genuine sense of accomplishment! This gave me confidence to paint the red-haired boy on the top.

After that, I painted the girl on the bottom followed by the girl at the top. Voilà – a set of four canvases that can be displayed together.

This set would make a wonderful addition to a baby’s or child’s bedroom. Or, you can hang them in the hallway between children’s rooms. They would also make a lovely presentation at the entrance of a daycare, nursery, or elementary school.

Update: These paintings were donated to Child Crisis Arizona.

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