This portrait of my older sister is very personal to me; I decided to paint a portrait of her, which would show her the way I see her as accurately as possible, within the context of materials, colour and composition.
I used a dark, pastos application of the paint on every part of it surrounding her face so that the viewers focus gets pulled in, as well as by the light-dark contrast it creates. The background consisting of gloomy, organic shapes gives it the melancholy atmosphere I was intending for.