Likeness Archives - Page 2 of 2

24 May 2015

Lingering thoughts when painting a portrait

These days I am reading the book “Man with a Blue Scarf” by Martin Gayford. It is on sitting for a portrait by Lucian Freud. Good books can take possession of your mind for days. It’s like when you spend some time in a boat and you are accustomed to the constant wobbling. Once on shore you find yourself still waddling. You must readjust. Yesterday and today I have been painting the portrait of the man in the picture above and the spirit of Lucian Freud is present at the sessions. His quotes are constantly itching in my mind.

Such as: “The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real”.

Or: ” I paint people not because of what they are like, not exactly in spite of what they are like, but how they happen to be.

And “I would wish my portraits to be of the people, not like them. Not having a look of the sitter, being them”.

Time and again, I have to clear my mind because these lingering thoughts intervene. I must concentrate on my job, the sitter and me.

3 May 2015

Portrait painting from live model

A quick approach wet-in-wet.

Since the beginning of this year, we meet every Tuesday afternoon in my studio to work with live models. We, that is to say, a few fellow artists and me. We start at 17:00 and usually work for two hours. In between sittings we have a short tea break. Our models are people from the neighborhood. The goal is not to create beautiful portraits but to be engaged as an athlete trains and a pianist does his exercises. See also here. And here.

15 June 2014

Troubleshooting: the likeness (3)

3 Check the portrait at twilight.

People always think that the lighting in a painters studio should be abundant. However in some cases, the opposite is true. A few times scarce lighting is very welcome. When I want to check an almost finished portrait I switch off the lights in my studio to see the portrait at semidarkness. Then I notice other differences in hues and values than I’d seen in full lighting.

See also this article on studio lighting.

8 June 2014

Troubleshooting: the likeness (2)

2 Use a mirror

Working for long periods of time on a portrait without a break can be tricky. First, unwittingly, you become tired. In the beginning you make key decisions, but after a while your concentration certainly decreases. Secondly, the portrait resembles more and more itself: namely the image that has been built up in your mind. It is therefore important that your perception remains fresh. Take a little break every so often. A great tool here also is the use of a mirror. Hold the mirror in such a position that you see simultaneously your model (or photo) and your canvas. You will be very surprised what you see: the same image but completely different.

Using a mirror.The same image but completely different. — Using a mirror. The same image but completely different.

See me in this video using the mirror. 3:38

1 June 2014

Troubleshooting: the likeness (1)

Portrait of a lady. Seen without my glasses.

Every portrait painter knows this: A portrait is finished, it looks nice but the resemblance is not quite right (or not at all) Conclusion: there is something wrong. But where is the rub? Perhaps it would be the eyes or the mouth, maybe the nose? You are peering & correcting, but an acceptable similarity is not coming into sight. Even worse: all your efforts are jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire. What do you do? Probably despair first. But as you can learn how to get started, you can also learn how to finish a portrait. I will pay attention to this issue here and in future blog posts. There is a number of ways to assess the likeness of a nearly finished portrait.

Here are some tricks you can think of:

1 Take off your glasses.

2 Use a mirror.

3 Check the portrait at twilight.

4 Use transparent paper.

5 Use the computer.

1 Take off your glasses

The portrait is not quite right, however you are absolutely sure all points of reference are in the correct position. Remember that it could also be that the curves are not in the right spot. In particular, the roundness of the cheeks. Up to what point are they exposed to the light, where does the shadow start? I often take off my glasses to see everything a little blurry. I perceive no details, only large shapes. And it works! It’s an amazing trick to find inaccuracies related to curves. “Yes, but I don´t wear glasses” you’ll say. OK. Borrow a pair of your granny´s specs, and put them on! Same effect.

Next time: Using a mirror.