Portraits Continue
November 20, 2011 by Shawn Demarest
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William
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Rachel
During Portland Open Studios I offered the first 4 people interested in portraits a great deal. Luckily, this turned into 4 new portrait opportunities. I’ve recently finished 2 of them. The first, ‘William’, came together from the get-go. He sat for 1 hour and when he left the groundwork was solid. I spent another 2 days working on it, using a photo for reference. The second, ‘Rachel’ was a bigger challenge. After one hour I had settled on a pose – but the paint was not cooperating. I worked on her painting obsessively after she left – unable to set it aside until I found some clearing. On about the 3rd day it began to make sense. By the 4th it was finished. I considered posting the 5 stages I have images for, but they are really too ‘off the mark’ to share.
Having the subjects sit for me in the beginning I find to be vital. I carry my knowledge and feeling of them while I finish their portraits. Its a pretty cool, intuitive dance.
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I love it when you can carry the painting in your head while you do other things.
And what a great way to expand your horizons — and give others the benefit of your talent. Win-win, all ’round.