A Girl From The Past

Why is painting faces from imagination fun? Because you never know what kind of person is about to appear on that blank sheet of paper. And then, step by step, he or she is showing up. It's a kind of magic for me, and I feel like a wizard:)

Personally, the most exciting part of painting a portrait is working on eyes and lips. It's amazing to see how every single tiny brushstroke makes a difference in expression and personality. Isn't it what we call breathing life into a painting?

This watercolor is one of those I painted without a preliminary drawing. I worked quickly and freely from big to small, while the paper was still wet, trying to find the right balance of spontaneity and control (that's actually the way I do most of my watercolors). And this is who has arrived today, all the way from the past. Meet this young lady with a dreamy gaze and porcelain skin, wearing a flower wreath on her head. Now it's time to make a story up...


12''x9''on Arches watercolor paper