March 31, 2016. Oil on canvas. 50 x 70cm.    

Posing a model is not easy. Some models are naturally good at that and we do little work and can come up with good posture. 

For portrait painting, If we can’t get a good pose, we can’t get a good painting.

That day my model Irene Mo wore a white T-shirt, looking fantastic at her age. She was in a black pant highlighting her long legs. I was so fall for her beauty and wished to paint a full body pose.  

But she was very nice and professional she brought with her a little black cotton dress. I thought may be that was what she wanted so I agreed to let her try way and thought may be that would work out great too. And that would make her happier for sure.

The black dress which showed her shoulder fit her. Making her look even slimmer. And a bit unproportional. That unproportional slim body is an awkward rare beauty in my eyes. So young, fragile, like a piece of fine china.

When came to pose we had a little hipup. She kept posing like a car model, a bit crusade and low end. When I coached her she asked how she supposed to pose more artistically. A spark came to my mind and I asked: 

“What is your favourite flower?” 

She replied me: “Lotus!” 

I then explained lotus in most ancient Chinese literature signified a person with a righteousness, pure, unpolluted heart. I asked her to think of a beautiful lotus when she was posing.

 That was how I finally got to paint my best human portrait so far.

  
Her face was dark in the shadow. Still attractive. Her eyes were not widely opened. There was a special tranquility on her face. I were curious of what was in her mind. 

Her little body was like a widow at the side of the pond, she was standing very still but to me she was almost swinging in the wind. I really love this painting and I hope people can see my work one day.
   

 3 hours quick life portrait painting. Oil on canvas. 50 x 70cm