Acrylic painting
The Queen
A Royal Transformation (with a touch of Van Dongen)
For this Lucasgilde class, we could choose between painting the iconic portraits of Kees van Dongen or Queen Elizabeth. I chose the Queen, but looking back at the first session, Van Dongen’s signature large, intense eyes secretly snuck into my subconscious. In that first quick session, I didn’t even realize the gaze was off; I was completely focused on blocking in the clothing, the hat, and the mouth. Returning for the second session with a fresh perspective and great tips from our teacher, Lydia, I realized the face needed a complete overhaul. I spent the final session reworking the skin, the hair, and completely transforming the eyes from that fierce, mischievous expression into her dignified, iconic look. As a finishing touch, I brought the hat forward by lifting it with lighter colors in the foreground.
Curious about the prelude to this piece? In the weeks following the Queen’s passing in September 2022, during Yvonne’s class, I first explored this iconic subject at a young age using charcoal.