About
My Process ~ Progress Photos
Acrylic just doesn’t allow for the ‘wet on wet, on the canvas blending’ that comes so naturally with oil paints. But, I persevered, and learned how to create an, at least similar, effect. Pretty good for a first try! Don’t you think!
This is a complex painting to use as an example. But I don’t have a lot of progress photos. Usually only doing them for commissions. But this is a great way for you to see the processes, sort of step by step.
Time? 83 hours – but that’s a rarity. Thankfully – Ugh!
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Artist's Biography
College was never an option financially, so no art school! But, though I worked in sign companies for 30+ years (at least it used my talent), starting as a ‘sign painter’, then later as the ‘sign designer/graphic artist’ – at home, I taught myself to paint. Eventually settling on portraiture for my main focus. Because it was challenging, and fun. But probably most of all, because I found that I was especially good at it. And, you know… it feels really good – to be really good at something!
Now in my late 60’s and retired, I’m located in Klamath Falls Oregon. Having moved from Grants Pass in early 2023.
Do to space constraints, I’m currently specializing in small acrylics portraits of people and pets. Sizes like 10”x10”;12”x12”; 12”x16” (though I might be talked into a 16” x 20” in a pitch.)
My big dream is to manifest a living space, big enough for me to also have a studio. What a concept! And creating this website, is my very first step.
My Process Explained
How does a portrait come to life?
1. When I receive the customer supplied digital photo, the first I do is check it, to be sure it’s clear (no blur!) and is high enough quality for me to see the detail. Because, I can’t paint what I can’t see.
2. I take the photo into my graphic design program (CorelDraw) to crop it to the agreed size for the painting. And I often test out backgrounds at this stage too. Which I then email to the client for approval.
3. I prep the canvas with gesso. Usually in the basecoat color of the final background. (Gesso is an acrylic paint that preps, seals and smooths the canvas, and can be colored or tinted to act as the basecoat color for the background.)
4. Once a mockup is approved, I make a full-size color printout of the photo (which I often have to do in pieces and then tape it together), which I use to hand trace the photo onto the canvas, using an artist’s quality graphite tracing paper and a special stylist.
5. Once the subject is drawn into the canvas, I paint around the drawing with the midtone basecoat color of the background. I nearly always paint the background first. And I personally prefer plain solid color, and especially solid black, backgrounds. Because this really makes the foreground ‘pop’.
6. Once the background is completely done and dry, I start painting the base coats on the subject. First by mixing up the correct midtone colors for the basecoats of all the major areas. Face, hair, clothing (or fur), etc. Getting these colors correct, and painted on smoothly, is more important than it sounds. Because these are really the ‘foundation of the portrait’. Boring – but essential.
7. And now the fun begins! It’s time to paint on the shadows. And then the highlights. And then a little back and forth, back and forth, to get them ‘just right’. And now, the subject starts to look 3D! It’s so cool!
8. But this is my very favorite part. And what I’m best at. Detailing! This is what brings the painting to life. A lot of people find detailing tedious. But not me. I love detailing. This is part that’s most like a meditation. Where I’m the most connecting with the painting. And it feels like it’s ‘communicating with me’.
In fact, if I were hooked up to a brainwave machine at this point, I’m sure I’d be in an Alpha state. Creative flow. I do one small part, and then I look around the canvas, and another part sort of ‘stands out’ to me. Like it’s saying “I’m next. It’s my turn!” So, I do that part next. And then another part calls to me. And another. Until there are no parts left, that are seeking my attention. Which means that, except for the signature – the painting is done…
And often, I stand back and look at the finished painting and think to myself “Holy shit. Where did that come from?” It’s kind of magical, actually.
What’s different about how you approach pet portraits versus people portraits?
Mostly – fur! Which is a whole different deal! Though in some ways I think they’re easier than people portraits. You’ve really got to get it ‘right’ with people. Because our brains are hardwired to remember every detail of a human face…
What’s the most rewarding part of creating portraits for clients?
I think it’s seeing them see the painting for the first time, (though for more complex job, I send photos throughout the process), and they can’t keep their eyes off it. They just stare and stare. Which I can understand, because sometimes I do the same thing with my paintings. Just stare and stare, asking myself “Where does that come from?”
