A Sweet Sibling Moment Captured in Watercolor

The calendar doesn't always get the final say on the perfect gift.

This 11x14 watercolor portrait was commissioned by a husband who originally hoped to surprise his wife for Mother's Day. By the time he reached out, my commission schedule was already full, but he decided to order it anyway, knowing it would arrive a little later.

He contacted me just a week after their new baby girl was born, and the reference photo captured one of those fleeting moments that parents wish they could freeze forever: big sister gently holding the baby while kissing her forehead, big brother quietly looking on, completely captivated by his new little sibling.

"Amazing art and quick response to questions I had. Very lovely gift. Thank you." —Chad

From an artist's perspective, this one was equal parts rewarding and challenging. Between the little girl's ponytail, the soft folds in the baby's onesie, and the colorful clothing that gave the composition so much warmth, there was a lot happening in just one photograph. Rather than using my usual ink linework, I relied mostly on pencil to deepen the details where needed, which kept everything feeling a little softer and more delicate. When illustrating young children especially, I want the portrait to feel gentle and natural—not overly defined, but still full of personality.

This ended up being one of my favorite family portraits I've painted in quite a while. Maybe it's because of the sweet sibling moment, maybe it's because it reminded me that sometimes the best gifts aren't the ones that arrive exactly on time—or maybe it's just that I'm a mom of three myself and I couldn't help smiling while I painted this one.

How to commission a family portrait painting ➜