Forgotten children (and a little competition!)

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Dulcimer Portrait  

I wanted to create a closer portrait of an old favourite, Dulcimer.

Almost entirely remade, which was pretty madness inducing to tell the truth. The hair: never, ever again.

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 Forgotten (pink version)

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Detail

Digital painting/photo texture/collage and illustration.

I couldn't decide which version I preferred. They each have their very own relevance for me.

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Ok, so now for the competition. On the subject of Imagined Portraits, this little print set is up for grabs:

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A print sampler set of six 5x7 archival prints, as seen over at the Art&Ghosts shop.

All that you have to do is tell me which Imagined Portrait is your personal favourite, and why. It doesn't have to be a lengthy answer, short and sweet will do nicely:) Winner will be announced a week from today.

Enjoy!

♥

Comments

[Krissy]

Lorinder caught my attention right away. Such a lovely take on what I call 'head-tipped dream sight.' So ethereal and barely there... fading and floating with dreams... sprouting fairytales... A true white rabbit chase. :-)

[Ms. Smart]

My favorite is Black Cherry. Sweet and dreamy. What is she thinking? Or just a moment to pause between life as a piece of art?

Love your art! Beautiful moody children you want to help with an edge.

[Lisa Falzon]

Oooh! Ok, I don't have the name of the piece but it's the top row, first from the right - not that it was easy to choose, but Love this one because of the mix of paint-like strokes and the photo-realism of the girl's face, coupled with the flat drops of colours, it's a very interesting texture variation that makes is entirely contemporary.

I love it. :)

[Caroline @RubiesAreBlue (via twitter)]

I prefer Tilly. Something about the juxtaposition of the animal ears and mask-like face creates an otherworldly feel. Her confrontational gaze transcends sensibility; is she delivering a possibility of a wild side, a stranger, to her own reflection, or, is she our own reflection, a child stranger we left behind long ago come back to haunt us?

[Nancy]

I love all of your work so much! From this series I really liked Lorinder, I guess I like the softness of the whole design...especially the bunnies. I also like Dreaming hair, it reminds me of a photograph based on a painting, but I can't remember what it's called, sorry.

[Krista Eitsert]

Tough choice! I'd have to choose Lydia, the top middle girl. From a distance she looks scared and lost, but up close you can see her fangs, deep down she just might be evil. Or is she like any young child, a mixture of sweet, innocent, and mischief. Plus I love the colors!

[jackie]

I love Delphine. I love the transparent softness to her and the dreamy quality .

[Bianca]

I am absolutely besotted by Never Never. Every time I look at that painting I wonder what it is that makes the child sad. She seems so sad to me. & yet barely there. If I blink my eyes I fear she might disappear into the screen, leaving only a smearing of color. & perhaps wisps of hair.

When I first saw Never Never I immediately thought the child was having some sort of party, attended by no one but herself. Even if you tell me otherwise I think I will always see her sitting alone in front of a cupcake or plate of cookies, hat sliding off of her head, music playing in the background.

Bianca

[Diana]

I really adore "Audrey". So simple, but so telling. I don't want to sound like I'm reviewing the Mona Lisa, but I feel like she knows something ;) Like she has a secret! She seems content, but very thoughtful. I feel like I would like to have a conversation with her! Or if not speaking, then it seems like she would be very nice just to be with, no words necessary ;)

[Alexia]

Black Cherry is the one that caught my eye. Haunting & mysterious yet innocent.

[~*"*Dia*"*~]

Sorry, I can't decide on just one. I like Tilly, Peek, Black Cherry and Apple most. They are innocent, but whimsical. They seem to know the strange ways of Nature and Time, yet they are unearthly and atemporal.

[Moni]

My personal favourite is "peek", she has a very beautiful and pure face. I love the thought that she put on the hat to disguise herself to seem someone else on the outside. But you still can see all her thoughts and fantasies swirling around in her head.

[Helen]

I've always loved this one (I know it's one of your older ones) http://www.flickr.com/photos/8504507@N02/4115766952/in/set-72157615245524895/ which is named print sampler pack on flickr. I couldn't find the actual name.

Anyway it's always summed up for me what I've loved about your work; the soft colours and expressive face and eyes. And the teacup - It's brilliant. There's the hint at a story and a world you have only partly let us know about. We are in the dark and free to decide for ourselves, what her story is.

[Della]

It's hard to decide, but Valley of the Bears invites so much speculation. The mysterious element is always so attractive in your work.

[lolabola]

I love Porcelain! she really captures the chalky feeling of porcelain somehow. I can just hear the sound that porcelain makes when touched... I first saw her just after seeing an underwater photo of a friend that made such similar diamonds with the light. The connection jolted me a little.

On another note, I love The Singing Tree set so so much. The colours are so incredible. The green and black ones remind me of books from my childhood.

also love the colours in the red haired twins and the woodcut quality of dauphine

[Karen Buckle]

Red haired twins because they are so unique and beautiful and facinating

[Heidi]

It was hard choice, but the amazing hair color in Red haired twins is so beautiful. I really love red hair!

[rachael]

i love lydia! although all of them are beautiful...there's just something sassy about lydia :)

[Oz]

Tippy Tan is my favorite (although I love them all).

She look like me :)

[Ellen]

I love Samantha. There is something very serene about her. I feel calm just looking at this portrait.

[Jesseline]

Black Cherry is my personal favorite. I can see why many would choose her as well; in my opinion she is the most mature in the group - but hardly innocent as Alexia suggests. She seems to be reminiscing on past experiences...

[Shannon]

Tippy Tan is my favorite. She's so dreamy. :)

[Lisa Gallup]

I loooove Sailor Blue! She reminds me a bit of Alice in wonderland. :) I love the dark blues in the painting.

[monika viktoria]

My favourite is little drops.

Such an ethereal little character. Her porcelain skin, ruby cherry lips, and her silk hair... she awakens feelings of nostalgia, of dreams, of children's stories my memory has long lost, but the mood and essence feel familiar.

She reminds me of barely uttered whispers, forgotten memories, and the fading echo's of lingering dreams...

[April]

I like the Red Haired Twins the best because it for some reason reminds me of Neko Case. Lydia, on the other hand, totally creeps me out!

[kathy]

lou, "forgotten" (the pink version), is the most emotionally charged piece i've lost myself in. it is the perfect representation of the pain i see seeping from lulu in manic bursts. you've caught the exquisiteness of the wound.

you are an artistic goddess

k

[jessieofoz]

Evening Lou! I've always loved your Red Haired Twins, because my fiance is a red hed, and I think they're the best kind ;D Exquisite work, as always, x

[Ana]

My favorite is Lydia, why? because she has an angelic face and a little teeth like needles, I love that. It was difficult to choose I like several.

[Maria-Thérèse]

I think my favourite is Anja because she reminds me of 19th century heroines like the Brontë sisters and an older style of painting - also an old way of portraying children almost as adults, very serious. I like the depth in the portrait, how there seem to be stars around her and the tiny rabbit sticking out makes me melt!

[Denise]

My favorite is the Red Hair Twins.I don't have a twin sister but my sister and I are very close and it just reminds me of how special a sister can be.

[Melonie]

The Imagined Portrait that I adore is Black Cherry. Her peaceful expression is made powerful by her bright red coat and it reminds me that a woman can be both beautiful and powerful.

[rolin]

I love Dulcimer, because of her lovely punky-like hair in combination with the sweet look on her face.
I also love Lorinder, because of the transparancy and the Bunnymen (where's Echo? Inside her head I think). And because her name is almost an anagram of mine (Rolinde)!
love your work!
Rolin

[Gunilla]

Tilly is my kind of girl! With her steady crystal blue gaze, there is nowhere to hide.
And I must not think bad thoughts... they might hurt her sensitive ears. But if she comes home to me, my thoughts will only be of love! (And she will feel SO much at home with her friends from my Christmas shopping :)

[Kim]

My favorite is "Never Never". There is nothing more attractive yet chilling than an overly pretty child. Wondering, wondering what devious plan they conjuring.

[Judy]

I adore 'Reflection' very much. Her pink and whites tones are appealing. I also like how her body is that of a teenager (slightly) but the blindfold, ears, and dress make her have a childish air with a bit of dreamy quality.

[Shannon]

Miss Lemon is my absolute favorite! She has a cool and quirky vibe. Plus, I'm lucky enough to own a print of her. So I feel like we're friends, seeing as she presides over my living room from her perch.

[Bianca]

I was looking at your Imagined Portraits again when it occured to me that "Never Never" (or the child depicted in "Never Never") & "Miss Lemon" are almost identical! Is that so, or am I studying them too hard? I mean, down to their hair, the sad (or vacant) expressions in their eyes.

Bianca

[Artandghosts]

Bianca, they were created from the same, basic face, which I saved for future use (I always do this). I have created several characters from the same face shape, including 'The Birthday Present', 'Orla' and the more recent "forgotten' from the top of this post:)

[Bianca]

Oh, I see it now! Okay. Please do not think I was being critical; I just thought these girls were sisters existing in different realms or on alternate planes. It happens.

[Artandghosts]

Oh not at all, i didn't think it was critical - i always presume people just *know* when I do this, which is probably silly of me. I suppose it means that the differences are more than subtle, which is a good thing:))
I've always enjoyed doing this; taking the basic elements of one thing and turning it into something else. It is like a fun sort of challenge for me. I think that I may have mentioned it back when Miss Lemon was created. I wanted a counterpart to Never Never, and they worked out as twins to me - one just a bit more miserable than the other, hehhe;)