REAL LIFE: portrait paintings

Showing posts with label portrait paintings. Show all posts

Wednesday, 4 August 2021

Teddy - A portrait on Gouache

I managed to get my paints out again last week and got to enjoy some quiet time, that enabled me to shut my mind down for a few hours. Things have been a struggle of late and it was just what I needed.

Although I do paint with gouache it was a new way of painting for me and one which I hope I can emulate at a future date, as I was really pleased with the outcome.

It was a present for my next door neighbour and she seemed very happy.

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

A portrait painting of Arlo

Last summer during a lull in the lockdowns we got to meet the family at a National Trust for a lovely picnic. It was a beautiful hot sunny day and lovely to get some time with the grandchildren.

Arlo actually decided to stand still and let me take some photos of his beautiful face.

I've had the drawing prepared for weeks but haven't sat down to actually start painting until this week. It was lovely to just take some time out and quietly paint at my new-ish art workspace in the kitchen.

Painting stage completed

Coloured pencils added

Finished painting

I didn't know what to do with the background at all on this one, whether to leave it plain or include the greens as in the photograph. I'm part of a really helpful Facebook group, Portrait artists UK and asked for peoples opinion. I got some really helpful advice and as the majority said to leave the background plain, so I've decided to do just that for the time being, I can always change my mind at a later date. One piece of advice I received was to leave it plain but to add a toned frame rather than white which I think is a great idea it ever gets framed.

In May 2020 I did 3 Gouache paintings shown here of my 3 children for a mini lockdown project of my own. I wanted silly faces, not sensible ones and I got some reasonable selfies sent through to work with. It's much harder than you'd think getting people to take a selfie, just head and shoulders, against a plain wall, pulling a face. I intended to carry on and do one of each of the grandchildren as well, to frame as a group at some stage and although this one won't be part of that group, due to the differing style, it has spurred me on to start the next one which I drew out yesterday.

Friday, 8 January 2021

Portraiture

I've always had a go on and off at painting, but it's been during the lockdowns that I've really got to pick up my paintbrushes, to while away some hours, listening to music and quietening my brain down. It's nice to be able to shut off and concentrate on something that is relatively calming.

In the past I have tried to paint the odd landscape and would dearly love to be able to paint beautiful abstracts, but I really struggle with not only the discipline of these but also any idea of where to start and so I always to revert back to portraiture.

But as with anything, fear of failure holds me back from realising any possible potential I may have at getting better and as a result my paintings are always really tight and I definitely need to learn how to loosen up.

Some of my portrait paintings are below, from my first attempts at watercolours, to moving on to gouache which I do really enjoy. I'm definitely more happy with than others.