My Second Corporate Portrait: Part Two

It's always a relief when I reach this point in a portrait. Its time to leave the head alone and focus on the clothing.

Stage 10: Painting the suit coat. Painting a black suit coat with a single light source is a great opportunity to study values. I brushed in the darkest value first. I mixed two parts of Ultramarine Blue to one part Transparent Oxide Red to achieve the black that I needed.

And then I worked in the lighter values. The next step was to blend the lights and darks at their edges to that they transitioned well with soft edges.

Stage 11: The hands. I started the hands by blocking in the light and dark shapes. This underpainting helped me see their shapes in the simplest of terms.

Working wet on wet paint, I then applied the second layer with additional color and values.

Conor McCluskey
BombBomb, CEO
36 x 24", Oil on canvas
Rita Salazar Dickerson

My Second Corporate Portrait: Part One

There are so many layers in the art world. The formal portrait is one of them. I meet many artists who, for various reasons, prefer not to go there. Regardless of the naysayers I have always been intrigued by the historical use of formal portraits as well as the challenge to paint them.  As Aristotle stated," The aim of Art is to present not the outward appearance of things, but their inner significance; for this, not the external manner and detail, constitutes true reality." (I wish I could have been the first person to say that.)

One of my most recent goals was to add two formal business/corporate portraits to my portfolio. This is my second one.

Stage 1: Painting in the image. After tinting the canvas with a thinned mixture of Transparent Oxide Red and Ultramarine Blue, I used that same mixture to lightly paint in Conor's likeness freehand.

Detail of the face.

Stage 2: Painting the face. I begin this stage the same way I would if I were painting from life instead of using a reference photo: lightly brushing in the shape of the head with a thin layer of paint as I familiarize myself with the features.

Stage 3: The eyes. The eyes tell the story. In this first attempt I aim for accuracy in shape, color and light.

Stage 4: Blocking in the face. As I apply this layer of paint I pay attention to the planes of the face as I develop the likeness through light, contrast and shadow.

Stage 5: Blending the colors. Once the paint is on the canvas I move the it around with my brush, pulling colors and values into each other so that they transition well.

Stage 6: Completing the first layer (underpainting). This is my last step -- blocking in the remaining shapes and colors of his face before I can complete it. 

Stage 7: Completing the face. I applied thicker paint for the second layer and then blended the colors and values together so that they transitioned well from light to dark and warm to cool colors.

Stage 8: Blocking in the tie and shirt.

Stage 9: Completing the shirt and tie. The intricate design on this silk tie almost intimidated me. I decided to squint my eyes and paint my impression of it.

Formal Portrait: Business Portrait, Part 3

The hardest part about a portrait like this is setting down the paintbrush and walking away. There are so many aspects of it that I want to study and analyse. For now its time to let it "rest" for a couple of weeks and then come back and look at it with fresh eyes. Adjustments will be made then for the final completion.

David P. Kunstle
30 x 24, Oil on canvas
Rita Salazar Dickerson

Stage 6: Blocking in the hands with a first layer of paint. As with everything else, I try to look at the hands as shapes  instead of palms, thumbs and fingers, squinting my eyes to generalize form, shadow and light.  For me, painting hands can become very mental. Fear often sets in and then I freeze up, questioning every step of the process. And then I start talking to myself. "Trust your instincts. Remain calm and keep painting!"

Stage 7: Completing the hands and pants. After the hands I focused on the pants. This was a perfect time to paint them since my wet edges would work right into the fresh paint of the hands and blend much easier.

 Stage 8: Blocking in the background. I looked at the background as one piece. I started from the top and worked my way down placing the first layer of paint as precisely as I could so that my second and final layer would be easier.

 

Stage 9:  Completing the background. While the first layer was still wet I kept going and added the details of the second and final layer. I wish you could see it in person. Right now the paint is very wet and so it was hard to photograph clearly. Please check my website in a few weeks to see the completed portrait.

Formal Portrait: Business Portrait Part 2

Squeezing blue and white oil paint onto my palette and then brushing it on the canvas to make it look like fabric is always more challenging than I first imagine it to be. Working wet-on-wet, it was time to paint the dress shirt.

Stage 5: The underpainting. Blocking in the shirt and tie.The draping of clothing over the human form is always a challenge.  If you don't get it right, you know it. The folds and creases have to be believable. I tried to break the shirt down into general shapes and values while brushing the paint on with broad strokes.

Stage 5: Completing the shirt. Using thicker paint I paid close attention to my brush strokes and edges, adding detail but not too much detail. Now its time to let it rest. Next, the hands. 

Formal Portrait: Business Portrait

My painting this week began with a formal business portrait. I love the variety of work that I do and welcome the challenge of a traditional oil portrait.

Stage 1: The composition. I photographed my subject in his office which had northern windows. Perfect lighting. We started with a series of shots with his full suit on but after a while the suit jacket came off and we transitioned to a more relaxed  casual pose. With a thin wash of oil paint mixed with mineral spirits, I drew his image freehand. I try to use some of the same techniques I would use if I were painting him from life in my studio; broad, swift strokes in the beginning with more detail in the end once I am happy with the composition.

Stage 2: The underpainting. At this stage I am still using the thin wash of paint with my focus on form, light and shadow.

Stage 3: The second layer. While the underpaintng is still wet, I apply the second, thicker layer of paint with every effort to accurately depict his likeness, the correct light, color and shadow. Brush strokes are also important.

Stage 4: Completing the face. Even though I know his face is probably not exactly the way it will be in the end (there are always small adjustments), I can sleep at night knowing that I have his captured his likeness and his pleasant expression. It is time to move on to his dress shirt and tie.