Aukje and Fem

My vision for this painting was to show the closeness between a grandmother (Aukje) and her grandchild (Fem) I wanted to paint them from life, using natural light and a limited pallet. To prepare for such a painting, I always do a lot of research, from the old masters of the 17th century to the portraits of John Singer Sargent. I enjoy this part of the project, getting filled with inspiration but at the same time learning that such a simple idea needs a really good composition. I designed the canvas so that Aukje would create a frame around the child. This also made the lighting so beautiful. The grandmother was backlit, so she would cast a shadow on the child. They both hold the book which becomes a bridge between the two different generations..