Ben Lustenhouwer

Retouching varnish

Once finished a painting there may arise glossy and matte or flat areas in the canvas. That looks not nice, especially exposed in wrong lighting. It is caused by a combination of the colour used, the type and amount of thinning agent added and the absorption of the ground.
 

 
The amount of oil in the paint as well as the amount of solvent that is added can vary per colour. It´s called sunken-in areas and it has nothing to do with a bad painting technique. Treating the sunken-in areas, once they are thoroughly dry to the touch, with a very thin coat of  retouching varnish restores the gloss and colour. Continue reading →

Last Sunday I delivered this portrait, among others. The parents and grand-parents were present. They liked the portrait very much and as always we had a glass of champagne to toas to the good outcome!

Click on the image to enlarge.

From Rockwell on Rockwell.  How I make a picture.

The importance of head structure

“I have made these sketches of the skulls to illustrate how important the knowledge of the skull is. I had an art teacher years ago (George Bridgeman) who made us draw hundreds of skulls in all positions. Continue reading →

Portraits to be delivered soon

In my studio constantly there are some scattered portraits, work in progress. Almost always commissioned portraits. Paintings to be delivered. Persons on canvases who come along with me for a short period, patiently waiting to be delivered. And the fact that they have to wait is good. I never can say immediately after finishing a portrait whether the painting is quite right. First I must try to erase the model from my memory and forget the image. Only then with a “new look” I can see whether it is good or not. It is beneficial to start a new portrait and thus release the previous. Sometimes, after a few weeks I suddenly see a strange detail or a disturbing brushstroke. I still have the opportunity to do the final touch. This process seems excessive but this treat is fundamental. Soon I will deliver the portraits on the photograph and I’ll be preparing the next series.