Victoria Lisi - Vibrant Childrens Portraits Painting Beautiful Hair and Skin Tones with Oils

Margaret oil on canvas 14" 11" (36cm 28cm) collection of Jane Maday

VIBRANT

CHILDRENS
PORTRAITS

PAINTING BEAUTIFUL HAIR
AND SKIN TONES WITH OILS

Victoria Lisi

NORTH LIGHT BOOKS

CINCINNATI, OHIO

www.artistsnetwork.com

Vibrant Childrens Portraits: Painting Beautiful Hair and Skin Tones With Oils . Copyright 2010 by Victoria Lisi. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by North Light Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45236. (800) 289-0963. First Edition.

Other fine North Light Books are available from your local bookstore, art supply store or online suppliers. Also visit our website at www.fwmedia.com.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lisi, Victoria.

Vibrant childrens portraits : painting beautiful hair and skin tones with oils / by Victoria Lisi. -- 1st ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-60061-314-2 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Children--Portraits. 2. Portrait painting--Technique. I. Title.

ND1329.3.C45L57 2010

751.45425--dc22 2009027328

Edited by Mary Burzlaff Bostic and Erika OConnell
Designed by Doug Mayfield
Production coordinated by Mark Griffin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a child, Victoria Lisi started drawing before she started talking. Her grandfather was a talented watercolorist, and her mother purchased art supplies for her and encouraged her to develop her skills.

Victoria graduated from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, with a BFA. She works in oil, watercolor and acrylic and has won many awards, both regional and national. Her work is available through the Maxims of Greeley galleries in Greeley and Estes Park, Colorado.

Portraits, especially of children, have always intrigued her. Eyes are the windows into the soul, and, in children, the windows are the most open. Victoria also enjoys painting animals and landscapes. The quality of light and the way it illuminates a subject are endlessly fascinating.

Victoria has worked extensively in illustration. She has illustrated over a dozen childrens books, and provided over a hundred book covers in various genres, including young adult, romance, science fiction, fantasy and new age, as well as assorted magazine covers.

Victoria taught illustration for six years at Western Connecticut State University and currently teaches watercolor, painting and drawing at Aims Community College in Loveland, Colorado.

She sometimes collaborates with her husband and fellow artist, Julius Lisi, on both fine art and illustration. You can visit their website at www.vjlisi.com. Contact Victoria Lisi at vh.lisi@comcast.net.

Baby Cool oil on Masonite 9" 12" (23cm 30cm)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my husband and fellow artist, Julius Lisi, who contributed immensely to this book. I could always count on your honesty and excellent eye when I needed to see the paintings more clearly and needed encouragement to keep improving them. Thank you for taking care of everything else when I was preoccupied with this project.

To Jane Maday, a wonderful friend and fantastic artist, who has written many books published by North Light, and who encouraged me to submit this idea. Your constant support throughout the process was invaluable.

To my first husband, Kennedy Poyser, your help and encouragement in my illustration career got me established.

To Kevin Johnson and Rowena Morrill, your expert advice on oil painting helped me in the early years of illustration and ultimately in writing this book.

To acquisitions editor Kathy Kipp for selecting the book and directing its outline.

A very special thanks to my editors, Mary Bostic and Erika OConnell, who provided excellent direction and advice. You did a wonderful job helping put this book together.

To Ric Deliantoni for technical photographic assistance.

To all my delightful models. It was a pleasure photographing and painting you.

To all my students, who contributed to the book through drawings, reading excerpts and looking at the paintings in progress. Your fresh eyes on the paintings, advice on writing more clearly, and drawing contributions were of great help.

DEDICATION

To my mother, Brigitte Yarborough. Your encouragement, instruction and purchase of art supplies during my formative years placed me on an artistic road that has been a source of joy throughout my life. I cant thank you enough.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE
MATERIALS

CHAPTER TWO
PROPORTIONS

CHAPTER THREE
DRAWING

CHAPTER FOUR
SKIN

CHAPTER FIVE
HAIR

CHAPTER SIX
PORTRAITS

Kaitlyn
oil on canvas
12" 9" (30cm 23cm)
collection of Frank and Carol Lisi

Ben oil on canvas 9" 12" (23cm 30cm)

INTRODUCTION

Luke
oil on canvas
12" 9" (30cm 23cm)

Painting children in oils is both challenging and deeply rewarding. Capturing the beauty of a child in a painting is something you can enjoy while you paint and again years from now. The child will appreciate the portrait when she grows up, and future generations will be able to enjoy it as well. A properly done oil painting will last far longer than a photograph. My mother proudly displays portraits of family ancestors that were painted centuries ago. A portrait of herself as a young girl is among her most prized possessions.