1. This is the original photo which I have already straightened up by rotating about 10 degrees clockwise from the vertical. You can see the top edge of the photo slanting down to the right. Note also the tear that has reached the right eye.
The eyes are now better aligned enabling us to connect with the girl’s expression.
I have also cropped the lower body to try and keep focus on the face rather than the figure but I have kept the arm and part of the hand and fingers for added interest.
2. To begin with I squared up the paper in a half-hearted way as I was in two minds whether it was a good idea or not.
The latter quickly proved to be the case as I soon realised that my measurements were up the spout and rather than helping it was actually making things worse.
However I was satisfied with the outline placement of the head and arm and proceeded without any further reference to squared lines, as I felt that this was a portrait where strict physiognomical accuracy was less important than the feeling that comes across from the sitter.
3. I had now declared myself less interested in an accurate likeness and more in favour of a warm and engaging presence – a risky course to take in a commission – however I knew that my patron wanted something special for her daughter’s picture and I also knew that most teenage girls are less interested in what they actually look like and are much more fascinated in how they could look.
To this end I have gone straight in to colour – in particular the ‘gold of their bodies’ as Gauguin described his Polynesian models – this girl too has a beautiful golden glow that I want to capture.
4. A little hair helps set off the face and give depth to the expression.
The basic composition is becoming more obvious now. There are lots of circular things going on, from her face and the afro hairstyle to the way the arm forms a circular design from the shoulder down to the bottom and then up to the hands on the left.
These complimentary circular patterns will hopefully give a rhythm and movement to the design and lift it from a static ‘portrait’ into something more dynamic and interesting.
5. Up to now I had been content to keep thing pretty vague and undefined, however it is time for our sitter to assert her identity and once the eyes have been established, as well as more careful modelling to the face and lips, she is definitely starting to come to the fore as a real personality rather than coloured shapes on paper.
The cool background helps to both bring her forward towards us, as well as enhance the warmth of her skin tone.
I have to decide about the t-shirt though – it looks a bit scary for a standard portrait – kind of spooky with a goth horror feel to it.
6. With the all important hair blocked in, the head is looking more balanced and the gesture of the body is now apparent.
Our model is craning her neck forward to get a better look at us, as if she is peeping round a door, thus providing a sense of movement and drama.
Her interest in us is met by our interest in her.
We are playing ‘peek-a-boo‘ with each other.
But what about that t-shirt?
7. Ah well, here it comes – I couldn’t resist that glow-in-the-dark luminescent look of it and the alternative, to leave the t-shirt black, would have been uninteresting I think.
In a way, it even adds to the composition.
If you forget about the ghostly subject matter and just see it simply as colours and shapes, then the bold white design does make a nice contrast standing out against the black background, not to mention the added street-cred it gives our sitter!
8. The completed picture. ( Click image for enlarged view)
You know what? The t-shirt makes it – I don’t know why, but without it, it just wouldn’t be the same.
This is a portrait that gives the lie to the tyranny of measurements and stifling detail.
Instead of worrying about accuracy, I just got on with creating a picture that I enjoyed and that was fun to do.
Hopefully some of that excitement comes across too!
Next project lined up already but its all very hush-hush and confidential at my client’s request.
Watch this space and all will eventually be revealed …
Two more views:
east st portraits 