Portrait Commission

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

Ahh, good morning everyone thanks for all of the positive comments.
It's such a beautiful morning here in Sydney and after a fair bit of work over the weekend I've managed to get the entire surface covered.

It's about two thirds completed now.
The chair is still in the under painting stage, I have to put the stripes on the shirt, which will be a pain but they will help show the form and folds in the fabric.
Then I have to paint in the piece of furniture on the right.
After I do all of that I will call the client and get him to come around and have a look at the painting.
I don't want to include the old dome clock any more, now that I know that sitter is ill.
It was a bad idea to start with. A bit to obvious and tacky.
I think that I will ask the client if he has a framed photo of himself with his father and paint it in where the clock was.

ocker1 · Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 775 Location: NZ

Hey the frame photo of the son is a great idea
also seein ya hate veggies, the shirts ok as it is

KimO · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 1470

Well I bet you're pretty damn pleased with yourself! Wink

With very good reason. Just fantastic Daniel - good on you mate. Very Happy

Like the photo idea too.

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

Ok this painting is starting to drive me crazy now and I am rushing it a bit.
I know that the furniture is out of whack I'll have to call a carpenter to straighten things up a bit.
I might put it aside for a week or so and do something else.
I'll post another photo when it's done.

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission

Why did you need the furniture at all?
I think it adds some unwanted and in my opinion unwarranted distraction. Even the photo with the son idea is a bit strange.

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

Stefan Maguran · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:35 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission

I would leave it without furniture - the chair is enough to convey the belonging - and his expression is too powerful to be distracted by the furniture or the photo. The painting talks without all those elements and becomes a mixture of unrelated messages (unless you are the son or the subject). It is ultimatley for the client to decide, but i am sure everyone would love to have both a nice painting that reminds them of the past and a work of art, not just one of them. For that, they have photographs.

Jo Tyler · Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 489 Location: Newcastle

With the furniture, when the family look at their portrait it will always remind them of when Dad was sitting right there in the living room, what a lovely thing to have.

heartco · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:18 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission

I like the idea of familiar things in the painting with Dad. But only as a background. The focus should always be on Dad. But I'm sure you know that already Smile

Not sure about the framed photo, that just adds another subject, or as Stefan puts it, distraction. I suppose it depends on how you do it. I just can't get over the realism. I can feel the leather chair. Would love to see it in real, full size. Now that would be impressive Smile

Heidi

The Pook · Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 2904 Location: Tasmania

Yes I agree about the furniture being potentially distracting. When I look at it on my LCD monitor at an angle, it looks better - the background goes darker. Perhaps a few glazes over it to make it more in shadow would be good - so you can still see what it is but it is not so distinct. Amazing job. Must be very satisfying to see it come together so well.

Panza · Guest

I agree with the pook, glaze the furniture down a bit to push it back. Well done by the way!

bigbunny2007 · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 307 Location: Melbourne

love your work.welldone.

Jade · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:00 am Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission

Wow I have missed all your updates! This is such a beautiful painting - you are really good. I agree with the others, something to push back that piece of furniture so it is there and triggers a memory for the people buying it but is not in your face. glazing and blurring. But wow, I'm astonished still, great painting.

AD · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 82 Location: Melbourne

I love the furniture as it is. Perfect! adds an element of interest. I enjoy the almost stylised effect of it.

AD · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 82 Location: Melbourne

The balance in the background is great, the detail in the cabinet works very well with the plain contrasting colors on the left. I think if you push back the background, it just wont be as intriguing, it wont be a little different.