I do not typically post the reference photos for the portraits I paint but this one is special:

So you can see, this was more of a restoration project :) Starting with the sketch, to get familiar with the general shapes and try the values and colors that might work:

I also removed the baby seat and added the unicorn on the shirt - the unicorn has special meaning to the recipient of this painting.

On to drawing (my unfavorite stage, always takes tooooo long):

And the completed painting:

The curious thing about this painting is that the subject is the mom of another baby I painted :). Tried Lanaquarelle cold press 140lb on this. The paper is soft and has nice texture, glazes look beautiful on it. However, the paint sets in a bit too fast and lifting is very hard. I also encountered several light spots that would not take paint (almost like a resist).

To learn how to order your own custom portrait, go here.