Have you ever felt the urge to do something that you haven’t done in a long time? Something that used to bring you joy and fulfillment, but somehow got pushed aside by life’s demands and distractions? That’s how I felt when I decided to pick up my brushes and paint a portrait after a 20-year hiatus. I was nervous, excited, and curious to see what I could create after such a long break.
But this was not just any portrait. This was a portrait of a little boy named Kiki, who lives in an orphanage in Haiti. My wife and I have a nonprofit organization that helps these children get access to education and a better future. I wanted to capture his story and his spirit in my painting, and share it with the world.
The painting is called “Step of Faith”, and it represents the journey of trust and courage that Kiki and many other children like him have to take every day. It also reflects my own journey of stepping out of my comfort zone and reconnecting with my passion for art.
I want to share with you some of the challenges, insights, and decisions that I faced while creating this painting. I hope it will inspire you to pursue your own creative endeavors, whatever they may be.
The Eyes Have It
The first thing I did was to start with the eyes. I wanted them to be the focal point of the painting, the place where the viewer would connect with Kiki and his emotions. I wanted to convey his apprehension, his vulnerability, and his longing for help.
But I also wanted to avoid using two of the most powerful visual tools that artists have: color and contrast. Why? Because I felt that they would distract from the message and the mood that I wanted to create. Color could make the eyes look too cheerful or too sad, depending on the hue. Contrast could make the eyes look too hopeful or too alert, depending on the brightness.
So I decided to use a subtle and muted palette, and to keep the highlights to a minimum. I wanted the eyes to be realistic, but not too realistic. I wanted them to be expressive, but not too expressive. I wanted them to be still, but not too still.
I wanted them to invite the viewer to look deeper, to wonder, to empathize.
The Forehead and the Arm
The next challenge was to paint the forehead and the arm. These two parts of the body represent the opposite sides of Kiki’s story: the hardship and the resistance.
The forehead shows the scars and the wrinkles that he has endured in his young life. The arm shows the gesture that he makes to keep us at a distance, to protect himself from further harm.
To paint these parts, I had to make a choice: to use color or to use contrast. I knew that color would make the forehead stand out more, but it would also make it look more attractive and less harsh. I knew that contrast would make the arm more visible, but it would also make it look more aggressive and less defensive.
I had to find a balance between these two options, and to make sure that they would not clash with each other or with the eyes.
So I did something that surprised me: I used both color and contrast, but in reverse. I used bright and warm colors for the forehead, and dark and cool colors for the arm. I used more contrast for the forehead, and less contrast for the arm.
Why did I do this? Because I realized that this was not a mistake, but a message. A message that said: look beyond the surface, look beyond the obvious, look beyond the stereotypes.
Look at the person, not the painting.
The Background and the Title
The final challenge was to paint the background and to choose a title for the painting. These two elements would complete the composition and the concept of the painting, and would give it a context and a meaning.
The background was easy: I wanted it to be white, plain, and simple. I wanted it to represent the presence of God, the purity of the soul, and the potential of the future. I wanted it to contrast with the complexity and the intensity of the foreground, and to create a sense of space and light.
The title was harder: I wanted it to be short, catchy, and meaningful. I wanted it to summarize the theme and the message of the painting, and to resonate with the viewer. I considered many options, but none of them felt right. Until I remembered the words that I said to myself when I started this painting: “I’m stepping out”. That’s when I knew what the title should be: “Step of Faith”.
Because that’s what this painting is about: taking a step of faith.
A step of faith for Kiki, who has to overcome his fear and his pain, and to reach out for help and hope. A step of faith for me, who had to overcome my doubt and my rust, and to reconnect with my passion and my purpose. A step of faith for you, who have to overcome your indifference and your prejudice, and to open your eyes and your heart.
This painting is an invitation, a challenge, and a celebration. It’s a reminder that we all have a story, a spirit, and a destiny. It’s a tribute to the power of art, the power of faith, and the power of love. I hope you enjoyed this blog post, and I hope you will enjoy the painting. Thank you for reading, and thank you for your support.