Figurative Portrait of a Woman Playing Violin

I had recently posted about how light alone can be utilized to paint a believable skin color. Making use of the full-palette its possible to achieve depth and energy in a portrait. It results in a realistic likeness and imparts a contemporary casualness to the painting. Because of this busy feel, there is no real need for the well-defined background, as opposed to classic portraiture.

Here is one where the skin tones are closely monitored and have been well merged for a smooth life-like transitioning.

"Sameera"

Oil

20 x 24 approx. (Framed)

The aesthetically pleasing pose of the sitter complements perfectly with the color play in the background. 

Here is something interesting. The bow (stick used to play the violin) brings the unnecessary attention to it, In fact, it visually slices the entire composition in two. To soften the experience, I painted the background in such a way that eye can travel from the the model to the background and back. By painting the foreground  in smooth abstract strokes, the center of attention is further reinforced.