A Mother's Love

I love the joy in the mother's eyes in this picture. This is my second portrait. I feel like I improved a great deal from the first portrait (below). You be the judge.

This is actually my first oil painting. I found the picture in a National Geographic and immediately fell in love with it. I love the way the mother is embracing and smiling at her baby. And I love the confidence with which the baby peers at the camera, as if the baby knows he is in the safest place in the world, in the arms of his mother. I also loved the textures and colors in the picture. I learned a lot painting this picture and while I now see there are so many things that I could have done better, I still love it. My teacher challenged me to do a portrait for my first painting and I am so glad that she did, because as intimidating as it is every time I start a new portrait, I love it and I am not afraid to know I can do it.