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Portraits

The Portrait

Nothing can compare to the special presence that a beautifully painted life-size portrait brings to a family home. Unlike photographs that fade over time, a fine oil painting has a timeless quality. It becomes a family heirloom to be treasured for generations, making it a truly unique investment. Full-size portraits of children are especially poignant reminders of those precious years.

A portrait is foremost a work of art. Going beyond capturing the image of an individual, the artist is responsible for defining the character, creating an appropriate setting, choosing the right lighting and colors, and presenting a compelling statement about the subject. A fine art portrait requires meticulous planning, preparation, and commitment of considerable time in its execution. Capturing just the right moment to preserve forever on canvas takes patience and skill, but is well worth the effort.

When to Commission a Portrait

Portraits of children are often the most important paintings in a family’s collection. A painting of siblings should not only capture the inner beauty and unique personality of each child, but also become a statement about their relationship with each other. To clients who are considering the right age to commission a portrait of their children, I recommend waiting until their child has clearly developed his or her personality in a way that can be visually represented on canvas (usually by the age of three or four).

The Technique

To prepare for the portrait, a linen canvas is primed with several coats of gesso to ensure longevity of the paint and smoothness in texture. After that, numerous layers of the highest quality oil paints and glazes are applied with fine brush work and a complex array of color in order to achieve an exceptional life-like quality to skin and eyes and overall depth. An oil painting takes a year to dry thoroughly. After that time, a client may choose to have the painting varnished in a gloss or semi-gloss finish to ensure longevity and protect from scratches or light. However, varnishing is not necessary if the portrait is properly taken care of, avoiding harsh light, heat and excessive humidity.

Procedure

The portraiture process begins with an initial meeting to discuss the general mood of the painting, background, colors, attire for the subject, size, and recommendations on creating the proper setting. Following initial preparations, a number of photographs will be taken at the client’s home, or may involve traveling to another location. One of these photographs will become the basis of the final portrait. A number of photographs will be reviewed and after a final image is chosen and approved, the client is presented with a complete contract and a 50% deposit will be requested. The subject will be brought to the studio once or several times during the portrait process. When the portrait is complete, clients are assisted in choosing the appropriate frame and display area in the home.