Welcome to my Blog

I'm a professional award winning Portrait artist from NSW Australia.

Not just a likeness- portraits with Life!
I bring your photos to life in paintings that will touch your heart!

A photo freezes a moment while a painting melts hearts.

Capture a moment in their life and
keep it alive in an Heirloom Portrait !

"Your portraits capture more life than a photo ever could!"
Vanessa.



Satisfaction Guarantee .

Have me create a special portrait just for you!.
Supply the photos and then plan the great unveiling!


I have original animal and landscape artworks available for sale on my website.

Learn more at my website-


https://www.suelinton.com.au/wordpress/




Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Wolfie progresses from a B & W photo into a coloured portrait

The reference photo

Here's a followup on the progress of Wolfie. He's actually further along than this so when he is finished and approved I'll post later photos.

Here are some of the photos I used to help me . 

The B & W and small photos are of Wolfie. The coloured one of him is too blurry to create a portrait but I can use it as a guide for his colour. 
The larger coloured photos are reference photos from a another Alsatian commission I created many years ago. I'm using these photo to help me with the details in Wolfie's eyes and jowl but customising the shapes so the portrait looks like Wolfie! 
 I need to remember that their colour is different to Wolfie and make sure I use the smaller photo as the colour guide.

The creation of the underpainting.
 I did the under painting in the studio and then started with the Oil paint at the demonstration.





Below - I've planned the background to best enhance his colour and the overall design / look of the portrait. I want his face to be the star and the rest if his body the supporting act. 
Before I start painting I spend a lot of time  planning your portrait to ensure you the best possible portrait .

 This is where my portraits differ from a straight copy of the photo . How I get impact and life! 
I emphasise the important things and downplay distracting unimportant things. Something a photo can't do!


The finished under painting ready for the demo.

Above -At the demo at Lambton Park.

 The oil paints mixed ready. I'm starting to redefine the dark parts of his eyes and nose. Oil has a much gutsier quality than acrylic so I can really get nice dense darks . This is necessary to give the finished portrait impact , 3D and realism.
I usually paint the eyes of the portrait first  . I always refine them later but even roughly painted they help bring the portrait to life. It also makes it more interesting for people watching.
After some one passing by asked whether his tongue was going to be green I thought I had better get in and roughly finish it! lol's.
 After years of experience I can picture the portrait many steps ahead.. I forget that other people can't!


I've  started roughly blocking in  his coat colour .
The colours are planned so his face comes forward and his body recedes. This gives the portrait a 3D  more lifelike look than the original two dimensional reference photo.

 This is Wolfie at the end of the demo. Not a bad start but I want to define and bring his muzzle forward towards you. I am also going to change the background colour to give the portrait more impact.

 To be continued.