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Devilbiss
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
Posts: 3214
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 Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:33 pm Post subject: Portrait Commission |
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I'm pretty happy with the world at the moment as I've just scored a really good portrait commission.
The client wants a painting of his father.
Usually people who contact me with a portrait request want a portrait as a surprise gift for the "sitter" or want a portrait of someone who is deceased.
This makes it hard to have any artistic control over the work as you have to make do with whatever photo you get...not always an easy job.
This commission is different as the client has already bought a painting from me and now has confidence in whatever abilities I may have.
Being able to take the reference photos myself is the best start possible and I thought that I would post the whole process here on the forum to show how I work.
This will probably take a while, so I hope you don't loose interest.
Ok here’s the photo that I settled on.
This is a good photo because it shows the sitters hands.
I like to paint hands especially strong hands like these.
The sitters head will have to be slightly increased in size as the photo was taken with a 35mm lens. This increases the foreground elements in size so his hands are too big in relation to his head...looks ok in the photo but will look weird in the painting.
I will also have to straighten up the furniture etc.
The photo has a lot of background clutter so I removed a lot of it in Photoshop.
I left the old glass dome clock because of the obvious metaphor it creates...not sure it's in the right position though.
In the first photo the sitter has a sort of tense look on his face so I will use this photo to paint his facial features.
Now all I have to do is to stretch some of the new linen that I bought and start painting...Back soon with some more. |
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The Pook
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 2904
Location: Tasmania
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:42 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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That's fantastic Daniel! I for one will not lose interest. What an interesting character for a subject - he's great.
| Daniel wrote: | | the photo was taken with a 35mm lens. This increases the foreground elements in size so his hands are too big in relation to his head...looks ok in the photo but will look weird in the painting. |
Somebody must have forgotten to tell William Dobell that...  |
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KimO
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1470
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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Thats great Daniel! I'll look forward to following your progress  |
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Hayley
Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Posts: 344
Location: Geelong
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:32 am Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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yeah, I'll watch. I love a WIP. (or is that whip?) anyhoo, I like to see development. He has quite effeminate features, will be tricky (might just be for me, I'm sure you'll cope Daniel) to make him not look a-sexual. What about not giving him much of a background at all? Include the clock if you like, but the psuedo-Italianate scrolling on the drawers is a bit distracting for me.
How was you previous portrait of the 'gangster' received in the end? |
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Devilbiss
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
Posts: 3214
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:32 am Post subject: Re: Re - Portrait Commission |
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| Hayley wrote: | yeah, I'll watch. I love a WIP. (or is that whip?) anyhoo, I like to see development. He has quite effeminate features, will be tricky (might just be for me, I'm sure you'll cope Daniel) to make him not look a-sexual. What about not giving him much of a background at all? Include the clock if you like, but the psuedo-Italianate scrolling on the drawers is a bit distracting for me.
How was you previous portrait of the 'gangster' received in the end? |
The gangster portrait was well received and was taken out of my house by its new owner with a smile.
It was a reasonably large piece when framed and the client turned up in one of those new Minni' Minors to take it away...it was touch and go there but he managed to fit it.
In regards to the other portrait commission, the sitter’s house was full of trinkets and memorabilia.
He is a real old gentleman originally from Europe somewhere and was a very refined and cultured person.
I agree with the visual clutter Hayley, the tiled floor will go as well.
The painting will be 100cm by 143cm.
I have to go to work today and Friday but will start the painting this weekend  |
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Jade
Joined: 04 Oct 2007
Posts: 536
Location: Mornington Peninsula
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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| Hi there! I'm going to keep a close eye on this,I'd love to be able to do this at some stage in my life. You have good colours in the picture too will you keep them the same? Looking forward to seeing the start! |
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Devilbiss
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
Posts: 3214
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: Re - Portrait Commission |
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| Jade wrote: | | Hi there! I'm going to keep a close eye on this,I'd love to be able to do this at some stage in my life. You have good colours in the picture too will you keep them the same? Looking forward to seeing the start! |
Thanks Jade
Yes the colours are good, they are warm and in harmony with each other but it's the light that I like .
Side lighting is great for showing form. And elderly people with all of the character and experience in their faces really look good when lit in the right way.
I never use flash when taking portrait photos...flash kills all of those beautiful shadows created by natural light and looks wrong when painted or drawn. |
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Panza
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:04 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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| Please keep posting Daniel, this painting commission of yours is absolutely fascinating. Please elaborate as much as you want on your technique, method etc. I believe you have talent, you should be willing to share it. |
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Devilbiss
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
Posts: 3214
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| Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 8:39 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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Thanks. I was going to start this a while back but couldn't.
I am going over to Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef for a while after Christmas and will be able to start it when I get back.
This will probably be my last post for a few weeks so...Merry Christmas to everyone.  |
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Devilbiss
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
Posts: 3214
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:09 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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Finally a start!..
The stretcher measures 100cm by 150cm and it took me two days to prepare the linen.
It is sized with Rabbit skin glue and has two coats of oil primer. It is a very nice surface to paint on.
I would like to thank Cadbury ice cream for their wonderful palettes
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Stefan Maguran
Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 2314
Location: The Outsiders Festival State
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:20 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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You make it look so easy - for someone like me who (I know!...) started painting almost two years ago and learning almost 6 months ago, the more detail on palette (loved the Cadbury mention, but I mean clour palette), tools, technique, even stuff like how you transfer the drawing onto canvas could be useful.
Thank you |
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pugwash
Joined: 04 Jul 2007
Posts: 1380
Location: Perth
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| Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:07 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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| A seemingly insignificant detail I know, but, will you include the hearing aid or not? |
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Redsy
Joined: 13 May 2006
Posts: 629
Location: Sydney
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:56 am Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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Hey Daniel. It looks great so far and you have only done part of the face! Its always great to watch artist work so please keep posting.
I just wanted to say one very small critism......I think the lips might be abit to saturated and red. Maybe greying them down with a complimentary (such as green) will stop them from sticking out. You dont want him to look like he has lipstick on! haha
Then again, the red might just look too strong atm because the rest isn't painted so it might be worthwhile reassessing it after the rest is blocked in. 
_________________
web:www.bretthayesart.com |
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Jade
Joined: 04 Oct 2007
Posts: 536
Location: Mornington Peninsula
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 12:36 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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That is coming along wonderfully, man that is a HUGE canvas. What are you doing buying Cadbury icecream? You should be buying Nestle!!! lol (sorry I work in the factory lol)
May I ask a question about the oil primer - I hear it smooths more than the acrylic one. I use acrylic gesso and spend heaps of time sanding it, wanted to try the oil one but was told it wasn't flexible so didn't know if I should use it on stretched canvas?
Can't wait to see more of this, its gonna be gooooooood |
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heartco
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
Posts: 429
Location: Near Latrobe Valley, Vic.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:15 pm Post subject: Re - Portrait Commission |
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| You just think you're a smarty pants don't you? Well I would if I were you! He he Can't wait to see it progress. |
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