Article in the Lakes Mail May 2012

A portrait in memory of Max

Max 

 25 x 30cms 

Framed Oil
" It's absolutely brilliant! Spot on! You've really captured him."
 Jenny

 Max passed away earlier this year and Jenny had me create a portrait to remember him.

Here is how Jenny described him.

'Max was a big ginger cat, robust and proud but also vulnerable, he was the biggest kitten of the litter so he dominated the food. He was a hunter and would always bring back his catch for approval. He was vulnerable to changes; he would cringe and cry when a storm approached and cry when the magpies ate his food or when he was under attack from the minor birds.  When we went away he moved into his second home next door and when we returned he would show is displeasure at our absence by ignoring us for a few days.

He ignored the fish in the pond but always drank there.

I instinctively knew he was unwell when he got diabetes, he was like a best friend and it was the saddest day when I had to do the kindest thing for him. He was my big ginger cat and I miss him dearly.'

Jenny

Helen & Danny Boy- Todays 2.30hr practise portrait from a model.

I was really enthused today when I realised our portrait model had bought her dog Danny boy in to be part of our painting!
I knew he wouldn't stay still long so got his general face 1st as he was looking at us.Lucky I did as he fell asleep later.. He's the best dog model I've come across!
It was a different portrait to usual as I did the whole scene for once which means her face is pretty small.
 I was pretty happy with it at portraits but got it home and it is a lot drabber than I want. The light must be much brighter in the portrait room. I'll have to remember that next time and make it look a bit garish there so it will look ok at home.
 If I was to finish this one off I'd soften Helen's face a bit so it is a  little more flattering and brighten the colours up a bit.

Zarley's portrait

Here is a portrait in memory of Zarley who has passed away. He's a Portugese waterdog.
 I cropped the photo so we would get Zarley larger in the portrait. The complete wording on his bed says
" If my dreams would come true it would rain bones"


Zarley
 40 x 50cm
 unframed Oil
'It looks AMAZING!!!!I love the picture!!!!'
Ashley ( when she saw the photo of the portrait).

'He's fabulous!

 I love, love, LOVE the painting! ( when he arrived in the post)'.

Dianne this weeks 2.30hr portrait from a model

Early stages just getting a likeness in the acrylic underpainting. This can take up to 1.30hr of the session but I usually wait until I have a good likeness before I put oil over the top.I've been getting faster lately and on a good session can have an adequate likeness within an hour.

A bit better likeness. I loved the accidental drips of paint! I almost left it at this stage.

Starting to put the Oil paint over the top. I used to do all the dark bits of the oil first but lately I cheat and do the colourful bits and features first as it feels like I am getting the portrait done quicker! Also as it is over dry paint it won't go muddy so I can work like that.The usual procedure with Oil is to work from dark to light.

Getting there. We rarely get a flattering portrait as the spotlight we use is more for drama than anything else and rarely flatters the sitter. These are my practise portraits so that doesn't matter. If it was a commissioned portrait I'd make sure it was more flattering!

What I completed in the sitting. I am pretty happy with it. It's got good oomph and colour and a pretty good likeness although unflattering.. If I was to finish it off I'd add some detail to the eyes and make that area a little less dark.

My self portrait wins $750 art prize!

Local  Artist Sue Linton wins $750  1st prize.
Sue won  the Oil section at the Dobell Artshow at Rathmines at the weekend with her self portrait.
Sue is a professional portrait painter from Quorrobolong and paints pet and horse portraits as well as people.
Archibald entrant Sue regularly paints from models who pose for a group of artists and her self portrait was created as an entry for an exhibition put on by this group .
Like an Archibald entry the portrait was created largely from ‘life’ rather than all from a photo. A photo was used for the pose but then the colours and detailing were gathered from painting herself side lit in a mirror.

Sue said – ‘ I wanted to show me in the act of painting – to make the viewer feel I was about to place a brushstroke- and have a colourful and lifelike portrait. .’
 Sue’s mother Betty Linton who featured as Sue’s Archibald entry for last year , was responsible for starting the movement to preserve Dobell’s House in Wangi  after the famous painter died.
 

Artworks and artist displayed below.