Daniela Werneck

Second Prize is a two-page editorial feature in American Art Collector magazine

My Inspiration

It was late winter when my niece came from Portugal to spend three weeks posing for me. The sunlight is very beautiful at my entryway in winter, when it enters through the glass of the door and “bathes” my whole entrance. I really wanted to paint that light! While I was painting, a Brazilian song came to my mind frequently, and I ended up painting part of it, which basically says, “if a hummingbird enters the door of your house to kiss you, it was me…if you miss me, write me a love letter.”

My Design Strategy

I paint through photos. I have models for photoshoots and shoot them as much as I can. After reviewing the images on my computer, I select those that have good body language and save them in another folder, then I let my imagination flow. Often, there is more than one photo used as a reference to compose and portray a single person. All the background and other elements usually come from other photographic references or from my own imagination. After I have the idea of the composition created in Photoshop, I start the design.

My Working Process

I do a very simple drawing as a guide, then I start applying thin layers of watercolor on a small detail, usually from the eyes, and I finish this small area to the end. This small, completed area will encourage me to finish the whole painting. I start my paintings on a dry surface because I like to start from the small details; the wet-on-wet technique I use later in the process on large areas, skin, backgrounds and especially on soft edges. I let the painting rest for a while before finishing it with a spray varnish.