Young Mother

Mui-Ling Teh

Young Mother

I drew this with pencil on a piece of paper in my sketchbook. I referred to a photo of my mother as a 10 years old, and somehow it ended up looking more like me. Many people mistake this to be my self-portrait. It’s funny that it turned out this way. Many people tell me I resemble my mother, and I don’t see that so much. Even as I was looking at my mother’s past photo, I wasn’t thinking that she looked like me, but in the end I see a portrait which looks like me. I drew this during my summer after grade 11 (age 17). At the time my mother was in Japan and I was missing her.

Some photo reference of my mother and I. Do we look alike?

This work has been featured in:
Pencil Drawing

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Young Mother by Mui-Ling Teh
Young Mother by Mui-Ling Teh
  • jetoneS

    jetoneS

    nice portrait

  • Lee Wilde

    Lee Wilde

    Exquisite. I can feel the tenderness in every pencil mark. Its as if you caressed the image from the paper.

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you for your comment! And also for adding it to your favourites!

  • LeeAnn Alexander

    LeeAnn Alexander

    I really like the hair…...and eyebrows…......and eyes. Looks very real. Very nice.

  • AnaBanana

    AnaBanana

    oh wuauuu very very nice

  • Alyson Pearson

    Alyson Pearson

    great portrait!

  • Ben Pacificar

    Ben Pacificar

    Nicely Done! Kombawa!

  • mieclarke

    mieclarke

    Beautiful drawing!

  • Nancy Stafford

    Nancy Stafford

    beautiful portait . excellent drawing

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you very much Nancy! Thanks for coming by often :)

  • ApeArt

    ApeArt

    this is lovely I bet your mum was very proud

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you. My mother was excited the first time she saw it, then she said “but you didn’t have to draw the messy bits of my hair” :P. She also said something about the face being a bit strange, but then looked at the photo I was drawing from and realized she was already making that face from the start :P

  • ApeArt

    ApeArt

    lol

  • Tahnja

    Tahnja

    the lighting is especially beautiful. Lovely work!

  • Matt83artist

    Matt83artist

    Thats a brilliant portrait! I like the fine texture of the hair!

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thanks, although my mom didn’t like the messy bits of hair that were coming out of the braid :P

  • Victoria  Smith

    Victoria Smith

    You have a great talent… This is beautiful.

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you, that is very sweet :)

  • carpenter777

    carpenter777

    wow you are a true talent

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you for the lovely comment :)

  • Michelle Boyer

    Michelle Boyer

    Wonderful work

  • Ellen

    Ellen

    Beautiful portrait.

  • Lam Tran

    Lam Tran

    Excellent sketching work! Great value and capturing the young girl!

  • Helen  Tyralik

    Helen Tyralik

    wonderful pencil work

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you Helen :)

  • Steven Novak

    Steven Novak

    Great pencil work. I love it.

  • helene ruiz

    helene ruiz

    excellent!

  • fatfatin

    fatfatin

    this is a beautiful portrait and your pencil strokes are so fine…a truly wonderful piece..

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you for the lovely comment!

  • Antanas

    Antanas

    beautiful work

  • amarica

    amarica

    You were a budding artist, you did very well Mui-Ling

  • Marion  Cullen

    Marion Cullen

    You have a wonderful gift and know how to use it. Lovely.

  • Christophe Testi

    Christophe Testi

    Stunning work! You have a great talent.

  • Ria Rosa Quinto

    Ria Rosa Quinto

    Wow this is excellent! Great shadow work!

  • Linda Bennett

    Linda Bennett

    What a sweet thing to do!! This sketch has great detail and obviously meant alot to you at the time you did it. Also a nice memior of your sketching ability even at a young age. Isn’t it funny how differently we see ourselves. This was a nice compliment to you whoever made it. Maybe post your pic also to compare….love this!!!Nicely Done!!

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you for the lovely comment. I think I will post my pic sometime; maybe this weekend; and you can tell me whether you think my mother and I look alike ;)

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Hello. I know you commented long ago suggesting that I post my pic. I got caught up with a lot of things and had trouble finding a photo I didn’t mind putting up :P. Even the ones I have up now I was hesitant about, but I’ve loosened up and decided I’d post them.

  • KEITH  R. WILLIAMS

    KEITH R. WILL...

    very nice

  • Kelli Maier

    Kelli Maier

    I have had this sort of thing happen many times…I draw a self portrait and it looks like my Mom or sister..or Grandmother…or draw my daughter and see my Mom or my neice and see her Mom, my sister…

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Yeah it’s funny how that happens eh. And we don’t realize our resemblances immediately either.

  • AngelArtist

    AngelArtist

    Very very pretty drawing, and I like her braids.

  • Hidemi Tada

    Hidemi Tada

    so you look like this? Interesting.

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Yeah, kinda. Watashi no okutta shashin to niteru kashira?

  • handprintz

    handprintz

    Your mother was very beautiful,and she would have been most proud l should imagine of the portrait you did of her! lovely work

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    read my reply to ApeArt ;)

  • handprintz

    handprintz

    Lol! but she still was very proud ?? l’m sure she was because it is very lovely!! and if you look like her l think you are very blessed also!! xo

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    :o)

  • Colin Cartwright

    Colin Cartwright

    Yes, I suppose we often reseble our parents at ayoung age. as we grow to look like them everyday! It is logical to assume if we go in the other direction – we will also look like them!

    Excellent portrait pencil drawing, Mui-Ling. Superb display of skill.

  • PPPhotoArt

    PPPhotoArt

    Mui-Ling this is absolutely lovely and there is so much character in her face, well done!!!

  • pinkyjain

    pinkyjain

    Beautiful portrait of your mother, wonderful pencil work

  • linaji

    linaji

    I remember people told me same.. i did not see .. untill little bit now I see my dear departed mother.. your drawings captivate and give much warmth.

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thanks for your comments Lina. I just added some photo reference in the description; meant to do that long ago :P. You think we look alike?

  • linaji

    linaji

    well not quite yet.. it seems as we age.. it tends to show.. more.. if you had photo of mother young as you perhaps.. I see resemblance for sure!

  • Mike Paget

    Mike Paget

    Yes I think you do! Lovely drawing

  • ISMAIL ALAOUI ABDALLAOUI

    ISMAIL ALAOUI ...

    hhaha
    very cute lovely future mother of yours!

  • ISMAIL ALAOUI ABDALLAOUI

    ISMAIL ALAOUI ...

    なるほど
    日本人ですね、とても 面白い

  • Michelle BarlondSmith
  • Siamesecat

    Siamesecat

    Sweetie, this is Just stunning she is totally gorgeous love your art..

  • Joanne  Bradley

    Joanne Bradley

    This is so lovely rendered! A charming lovely portrait!

  • Rajdev D

    Rajdev D

    Very nice portrait, beautiful shading work ,brings out her character and beauty.

  • Stephen Thomas

    Stephen Thomas

    Excellent Portrait!

  • nishagandhi

    nishagandhi

    great work

  • gottheshot

    gottheshot

    Great shading to show her cheekbones and nice shading under her chin to show the shape of her face. Nice detail in the plaited hair. A fave :o)

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    Thank you. I like the plaited hair too; though my mom wishes that I didn’t make it look messy lol.

  • Gili Orr

    Gili Orr

    The hair is really good! and messy is more interesting and natural;-) but I guess your mother prefers proper and tidy as adjectives… lol.

  • Mui-Ling Teh replied

    don’t we all; lol.

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