sisters

two sisters painted. Tried to keep it light and loose and fun. Thank goodness for digital photography which allows me to shoot as many pictures as I can of children...they can be so fickle and difficult to get a good shot. In this case they were two angels and really worked hard to give a smile with mom coaching them off camera.
I used an oilpaint wash with turpentine which I rubbed off in places and gave a lovely tonal range. Lots of glaze as always.
Now back to the main work of getting my history story done.
Snow has fallen and I can more easily stay indoors and work. Less distractions.
Also working on my new website with the crew of Squareflo.com They are helping me build a fine and refined new website which will host my blog and everything else. Now my illustration work will be side by side with my fine art stuff.

wrestling with children

I do believe this one is done.
I am always ever so careful when I wrestle with young children. They are delicate and one has to use small brushes and a lot of glaze to achieve a good likeness.
I know there are some portrait painters who achieve the finish by using bold and powerful marks...but I really cant do it. I find the faces of children to be composed of most delicate shading and shape. I admire those who can capture it in fresh quick strokes... but since this is my style and my work.... "Aah, tea, why thank you Hoarknockle!"
All this one requires is a last coat of preserving varnish.
I wanted this painting to reflect the personalities of the children and to give some idea of who they are and what they do.
Its been a demanding time, and I'm happy with the results.
Now on to some digital drawing.

forging it ahead

Awoken from slumbers after the weekend I see the portrait is as yet unfinished.
Hoarknockle has been taking it easy. He has been out tending to lady Sandra as she burns the oils all day and night in her efforts to assimilate a number of heavy and large textbooks. She is writing a large examination soon and it requires a huge quantity of information uploaded into her brain.
The servants are living the good life and I shall have to bring back the lash. Next thing they'll be wanting to be remunerated. Rats!
I shall have to drag myself away from the trout pond and life of leisure to complete this painting. I cant see it doing so by itself.
Never let it be said that I dont give my everything in my efforts to achieve perfection. For the greater good and all that!
Hmmmmm brushes..let's see...
"Hoarknockle! I require tea!"

love of excuses

It was Hoarknockle!
It was a horrible wind storm!
It wasn't me!
Okay..having got that off my chest and out of the way....
I am working on a portrait of two beautiful children. They are on the canvas together so that they wont be able to take it away from their adoring mother once they grow up and leave home. The mother reasons that if they were two separate portraits, it would be simple for them to take their child images and go. Now it seems they will have to fight one another for ownership or decide not to have a picture with their sibling on it too. I'll tell you the outcome of this in about 18 to 20 years.
I have tried to adopt a playful approach to this piece and keeping the brush marks free and loose and quick. They are children and fill of spontaneous actions and energies. The one is a small male person and the other is a female and I want to try and show some sibling connection as well as the difference in their styles.
So far so good. Alternating between glazes and big brushstrokes in strong colour.
I have forsaken the joys of fortified (reinforced?) beverages during the week in a vague hope that it might increase my ability to consume body fat. Thus Hoarknockle is plying me with tea rather than my usual libations.
Due to my use of acrylic paints, I have no recourse to sniffing solvents. 'Tis a hard life I tell you.

cherub portrait complete

The portrait is complete. Done. I had not anticipated getting it finished quite so quickly. I always struggle with small details and fuss and anguish over little things in the final stages of a portrait. Probably because it has to look like the actual person and the closer you get to completion, the more these small aspects become like beacons of distraction.

When looking at masters of portraiture I see two main directions: Loose and expressive and controlled and detailed. I cat keep the portraits of Michael Deas out of my head...his manner of working haunted me throughout this piece...every glaze and every brushstroke seemed to ask me if this was how he would do it. Nearly drove me bonkers. If it hadnt been for Jeeves and generous libations of tincturet of juniper and other aromatherapeutics, I may not have made it to the end.

What makes it so devilishly difficult is the absolutely cherubic goodness of this little face. Its still so unblemished and perfectly shaped and hued. I wanted to achieve this perfection and desperately tried to channel any 17thCentury old master who would be willing to step in. Alas, none appeared in my hour of need and it was up to me to twiddle my brush and smear the paint.

One always hopes you keep growing and perfecting your craft and I think I may have wandered a few more steps forward on this path even though I rather regard myself as a practitioner of other kinds of visual trickery. Nonetheless this one makes me happy and even though painted this piece, there is as usual a sense of surprise and wonderment at achieving the end goal. At the start of a portrait or other realistic work, I never manage to assume that I will be able to pull it off and get it the way I want it, so the final image most often comes with huge relief and some surprise at how it turned out.

There was last moment jitters and a last application of some pale salmon to sharpen a highlight and then a satin glaze to give it the final rich depth that only a satin glaze can.

I now embark on a painting of a beautiful house which stands on the steep inclines of Table Mountain in Cape Town. A house once owned by a very good friend. Its a place full of happy memories of wonderful times. Its a place I have stayed at and felt comfortable in. It will be a whimsical image... with recognisable exterior, but I shall not be inclined to adhere to any accepted perspective.

Jeeves has the day off and I am stranded in the solarium without tea. Thank goodness Im not helpless and can research the recipe for making tea online....IF I can find my computer's "ON" switch.

cherub faced portrait

Layers of subtle glazes more and she is darker and the image seems to be developing depth. I went in with glazes made with Van Dyke brown and ultramarine...oh and there was a soft pinkish glaze too. I put them on with a large soft brush and then remove smaller areas with a smaller soft brush while the glaze is still wet, allowing me to add soft areas of tone and then bring smaller highlights out. This gives a softer effect...especially when working with something as delicate as a child's face.

Today is time to go in with a brush and some pale peachy, pinky warm glaze in spots...to pick out highlights... and go lighter and lighter...

I've had Jeeves take my easel out to the upper solarium in the east wing where we normally put up our visiting upper class guests. The light is better and the sun is out again today. The only possible problem is that its rather further from the kitchen and it may mean that my tea could cool by a degree or two whilst in transit... or worse, my gin and tonic may not be quite as cold.

Nothing is ever perfect.