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Fascinating People Portraits Peter Worsley |
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On Painting Portraits: I paint Interesting People, usually as portraits, but occasional as small groups or as large crowds.
This article starts with a little history on the portrait, followed by some details of how I work today.
Click here to skip a brief history of portrait painting and to go straight to how I paint portraits.
A Little History: The portrait has been popular at least since the ancient Egyptians made sculptured monuments of their monarchs.
The idea of memorializing someone with a likeness is a theme that has continued through time. (see "The Evolution Of Portrait Painting.")
During the early and middle part of the 20th century, portraits fell out of favor, perhaps because of the introduction of photography, particularly color photography, and the rising interest in non-realistic art.
But by the 1970's a revival began. And, by the 1990's a new broad interest in portraiture was accompanied by a rising concern with individuality and physicality of the human identity.
An interest in multiculturalism and encouragement by the mass media helped the revival.
This recent interest in portraiture may be a backlash to abstract painting. Today, a lot of people are turned off with non-realistic patches of color on a canvas or find it impractical to collect fragile sculptures or installations.
Contemporary Portraiture: For a long time in the USA there was a feeling that painted portraits were only for the moneyed elite.
But today, they are recognized as a more lasting and organic form than a photograph. They have become a way to capture memories of family loved ones, colleagues, friends, or even yourself.
Painted Portraits: They are a way to celebrate important birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new businesses, a promotion, and important life stages.
A skilled portrait artist always incorporates some of the personality of the sitter into the finished work.
They are a form of self-expression. A portrait is for posterity.
In addition, painted portraits have grown in popularity as decorative images. As well as capturing impressions of someone you know or love, you may wish to display someone you do not know.
Such a painting of a stranger may be a conversation piece for your next party, or even a way to gain an instant new family member.
Today, portraits have become very "in."
How I Create A Portrait: My portraits may range from a simple “head" or "mug" shots” to showing the “head and shoulders,” “half length,” or “full body.”
The intent is to show the basic appearance of the person, and perhaps include some artistic insight into their personality.
I like painting interesting people. My portraits of people I know may be created as a commission for a client. Or maybe a painting of a complete stranger as the result of being inspired by an image captured on one of my photo collecting excursions.
Source Material For Interesting Stranger Portraits: For some years, most places I go, I take along my compact lightweight camera. If I see something or someone that looks interesting, I record the situation.
My camera is digital, has a long zoom lens, with an anti-shake system. Such an anti-shake system is important for obtaining a sharp image of a person who is far away.
My first camera was a Olympus Camedia C-2100, a great workhorse. The best then available at a reasonable price. Unfortunately it was large and somewhat heavy. Also, the two mega pixel image, though good for those days, is inadequate by today's standards.
My current digital camera is a Panasonic Lumex DMC-FC5. It is a compact, takes a six
mega pixel image, has a x12 zoom lens, an anti-shake system, and a burst mode that may take up to six images. The advantage of taking several shots - one after the other very quickly, for as long as I hold down the shutter release - is that if the person is moving or talking I have several images to choose from.
With a large memory card installed in the camera, I am able to capture many images often from far away.
So far, I have accumulated on my computer nearly twenty thousand "reference" images. When I am planning a new "Interesting Stranger" portrait, my first resource is to research my reference files.
The Selection Process: To make selection easy, I use a cataloging software (Expression MediaPro) to organize and view of my accumulated images.
Selecting a source images for a new Interesting Stranger painting takes place over a few days, a few weeks, or even months.
As ideas for a new painting develop, I scan my reference catalogs for suitable material. As I look at my images interesting faces often jump out.
Usually I have several paintings in various stages of process at the same time. Also, I am thinking about future paintings, even while I working on a current work.
Innovation: If it is to be a solo or group portrait, I look for interesting people who may be developed into a story.
Quite often I will blend parts of several reference images for a desired result. A subject’s lips in one pose, may not be as attractive as those captured in another. An arm may look better in one shot and a head from yet another.
Similarly, I will change dress, colors, hair, as well as lighting, shadows, and background to suit my plan.
The photographs must be interpreted intelligently, not merely copied.
A camera, being a machine, is completely impersonal and totally objective. The lens records what it sees. While the eye often sees thing differently.
Having painted for years en plain air and studio models, I have to remember and bring some "life" to the finished painting.
The Painting Surface: My recent work is in oil on canvas or linen. This traditional paint and substrate has a permanency and appearance that is time proven. I prefer fine weaves for portraits.
In the past I have painted with gouache, ink, or watercolor on paper, board, or canvas. Of these textured clayboard is a surface that is particularly kind for portraits, allowing fine detail.
My Studio Setup: Nearly all current work is produced in my studio. Painting with oil, I use a nearly vertical easel, but which may be adjusted as needed from upright to flat.
The room is lit from behind by daylight augmented by color corrected fluorescent tube lamps.
For years I preferred to work standing. But recently, perhaps giving way to age, I have adjusted to sitting at my easel.
My palette is a sheet of toughened glass beside me on my right. My brushes, palette knives, and solvents are nearby. So are drawers with tubes of paint. I work with a limited color palette.
I have accumulated a great number of brushes, but find myself working with just a few rounds, filberts, and flats. Most are of small size.
Using The Computer: Since I source most of my paintings directly from digital images, I prefer painting straight from a computer screen.
My laptop computer is positioned to the left of my painting easel. It is on an adjustable table set level with the current area of the canvas to be worked.
To ensure that the color display of the image is correct, I use a Panatone Huey light compensation tool.
The Huey sensor sits beside the computer and measures the room light falling on the screen. It automatically adjusts the displayed image to compensate for the changing light level in my studio.
Often the exact colors are not important. As I tend to adjust colors and values as I paint to improve the overall effect.
Also, frequently I adjust the displayed photographic image, using Photoshop software, to improve the contrast or to enhance the lighting into deep shadow areas.
Often I end up with several images of the same view, each with a different adjustment of the color, contrast, or brightness.
When painting a blend from parts of several images, each is also prepared ready to display on my screen as needed.
With a few keyboard strokes the details of each image maybe selected and displayed, enlarged or reduced.
Or, an enlarged image maybe dragged around the screen to show just a particular area of current interest.
Using the Projector: Typically, with the same software, the colored digital image of a chosen pose, is converted to black and white. By increasing the contrast and often eliminating the background, a sharp silhouette may be generated.
This is printed out as a small image on white paper, sized for my Autograph Prism Opaque Projector.
After arranging the projected image to produce a desired size and composition on a new canvas, I sketch the outline in graphite.
Then I go over the graphite with dilute colored paint. These outlines gives me scale and helps to quickly get the painting started.
My Palette: For years I have always painted with the same carefully honed limited color palette of light fast colors.
By intermixed these colors I am able to create any tint that may be required.
Look First At The Eyes: 
Studying the eyes seems to bring out the sole of the sitter. The eyes, the nose, and the mouth, and their relationship to each other, for me are the very heart of the face.
When a person in a painting looks back at you, do you see something of the artist's impression of the sitter - their wit, their sense of self-image? Perhaps even a glimpse of their history?
On the other hand, when the person gazes away, does this set up a feeling of intrigue? Over time, this may develop for the viewer into a fascination - even a conviction. Maybe with enough study, one day it will yield to them a revelation.
Such is the power of portraiture.
Developing The Image: After the eyes I work around the image, sketching lightly with dilute paint the whole face, quickly establishing the highlights and shadows.
Next comes the rest of the body, the hands, feet, the clothing, and the background.
After covering most of the canvas with the thin paint, I start into the details. Again, usually I start on the eyes and surrounding area. With thicker paint the details slowly emerge.
The time spent to paint a portrait varies with its complexity and size. I tend to work over its surface several times, adding more and more detail, and adjusting previously painted areas.
Finishing Up: As a painting approaches completion, I set it to one side in my studio, where I may glance at it every day. It may hang there for a few days, or even several months.
Frequently, at first, I will bring it back to the easel to make minor adjustments. As I become more satisfied with the work, the tweaks become less.
At last, when I am generally pleased with the painting, if it is in oil, I will coat it with medium.
I always assume that the buyer will eventually reframe my work. At least half of my buyers so do. They want the work to fit in with other art in their collection, or with their room décor.
For commissioned portraits, the frame is always extra, and is usually chosen by the client. My oil paintings are offered unframed and with painted edges.
All my finished paintings are signed on the front and stamped on the back with a copyright marking. Each is given an assigned title and a reference catalog number.
Then they are hung in my private gallery, ready for showing.
Painting is a continual learning process. I am always experimenting - trying new subjects, new methods, and new materials.
If you are local or are planning a visit to Santa Barbara, email or call for an appointment to visit my Studio and Private Gallery. I will be glad to show you how it is done and examples of the finished work.
Updated January 2008.
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Painting In My Studio.
Photo Credit: Josh Hulstein.