Portraits

Someone said to me, “portraits….they’re either right or wrong”.  It’s certainly a risk when you take on the challenge of painting someone who has commissioned you.  Do they want photo-accuracy, flattery, an heirloom, a gift?  They might like your style, but they might not approve of themselves in your style!

The portraits I show here are of people I know plus one or two commissions.

I work from life, initially, and from photos which I prefer to take myself  to get good lighting and composition.   And I work in oil.

I show the portrait to the person commissioning during various stages of the process for their input.