A Cissy Bride Doll Oil Painting, all original, one of a kind

For you doll collectors, I painted this lovely oil painting of a 1950's Cissy doll in the impressionist style. It is lending toward realism, but I had to add some broken strokes of color to create a sense of light and atmosphere as the impressionists do. It is titled, "Cissy Bride", it is oil on board, size is 6"W X 6"H. Sorry, in my earlier post I referred it as being 5"W X 5"H. So it is a bit larger as I measured it this morning. It is unframed at this point. Since it is on a stiff art board, it can be mounted on a 6X8 board covered in a black felt material and framed within a 6X8 store bought frame. Or you can take it to your local framer and have one custom made. Or just buy a mini easel (sold at Aaron Brothers) and display it that way.
This is my first painting of the Cissy doll as I collected them for years and she was in my case until I sold her last year. I missed her and decided to paint her pretty little head. The dolls stand about 21" tall so this is a little larger than the actual life size head of the Cissy. I have painted the vintage Barbie for several years. They have all sold and are in private collections. I rarely paint the vintage dolls as I am so busy entering landscapes and seascapes into art exhibitions. My ability to paint portraits has to include dolls, they are the perfect relaxed subjects. Although I have painted plenty of real people figures.
This Cissy is a bride of course with red hair pulled up above her ears and some lovely red hair trails to her shoulders. She is wearing a millinery flower crown with tulle draping down from it. Her gown has tulle shoulders, there's just a hint of it. Cissy's face is round like a doll should be and she has the rosy cheeks and full red lips with just a dainty little nose. Her eyes sparkle as it appears as if she is glancing off into her future as a young bride. She is a classy doll with such elegance. I did her justice in that sense of eternal beauty she exudes. I simply signed it EJW in the lower right corner to blend into the shadows and not overtake the painting. This will be up for auction on eBay. Click here to bid!

1950s Bride Doll, Cissy - an original oil painting

This is on my easel right now as I speak, it's a 5"W x 5"H oil on gesso board painting. Just to let you know this doll is still being manufactured but is different looking now. I collected them for years and this was a Cissy doll in my personal collection. I am not affiliated with the Madame Alexander Doll Company and will not be offering prints of this in any way. There are trademark and copyright laws protecting this doll. I am offering only the original and as an artists I have that right to paint a single use. I have done original oil paintings of the Barbie and they are in private collections. That's where this one will wind up. So, please do not try to reproduce this or you may face legal actions from the mother company, not I. It makes me very nervous to post an image of a famous doll, I do not want repercussions by the head company. But I can't resist my drive to paint in admiration for the beauty, the essence, the reminder of an era in these vintage dolls. My feelings certainly show in this painting. I am working on the application of the colors today, I wanted the underpainting to set dry. I used a hand blended mix of cadmium yellow, cadmium red and a tiny of blue, then grey to make the color you see. I washed in down with Linseed oil and Gamsol to apply thinly and sculpt the head and face using more diluted paint to show lighter values. I almost want to leave it like it is, it's very vintage looking like an old Rembrandt, DaVinci or Michelangelo sketch. But this is a preliminary drawing to pave the way for color and have it down in the right values. I will post the finished image tomorrow.

Fishing Boats at Dana Wharf, seascape oil painting

"Fishing Boats at Dana Wharf", oil on Belgian Linen, 14"W x 11"H x .75"D. $300.00. You will need to purchase a frame. I have a great framer in Costa Mesa. Contact me if you are interested in this piece. Here are several more images of how the painting was begun on location at the Dan Wharf.














I worked en plein air on two separate days to capture the essence of this location and it's atmosphere. It was a challenge in being it was a complicated scene. That's what a good artist should do, try harder compositions to force ourself to evolve and accomplish higher aspirations. After two days of trying to paint with my sweet Chihuahua by my side, she was not allowing me long enough to work without wanting to get out of her doggie bin. I finished it at my studio on Thanksgiving Day in the morning.