Children
Portraits
from
Forest House Studio
Ballet Pink
by Susan Burnham Neilson
Watercolour on Clay Museum Board
14″h x 11″w
2″ deep cradled panel
Private Commission – Example – Portraits of Children
This preschool dance portrait, painted in the fall of 2018, was Neilson’s first project using watercolour paints on clay boards. This test opened the door to start exploring this material.
Comparing two choices of materials.
Close-up preview crops
With watercolours on clay panels there is a delicate luminosity with even the subtlest colours. Rich earthy oil paints are quite different, with wonderful strengths of their own for the painter.


Mini Watercolour on Ampersand Aquabord
In progress – detail section from an 8″ x 8″ panel.
This example is not yet varnished. When finished, pieces like this one would be sealed with UVLS polymer varnish, so they do not require framing behind glass.


Oil on canvas
This is also a section from a very small painting. The full composition is 18″high x 14″ wide.