Family portraits

Family portraits.

These days I’m working like mad to finish my second tutorial video before I am leaving for Burgundy, where students will be waiting for a new session of my summer courses portrait painting at Table-Tableau. I hardly can find an opportunity to write on my blog. However, tonight I can create a free moment to show two family portraits that I found recently. A quick sketch of my youngest sister Angela from 1975. And a portrait of my father who stayed at us in Spain in 1997. Earlier work, but I was surprised to see them again.

My sister Angela. Graphite. 1975
My sister Angela. Graphite. 1975
My father. oil 1997
My father. oil 1997 (click on the image to enlarge)

Self-portrait, always with a hat.

We are cleaning up the attic and I found this self portrait again, from ten years ago. Not really flattering but… Self portraits you see often with headgear. You know why? We painters are painting so many times our own head, that it is becoming boring. So a hat changes the image.

Self-portrait with hat. 2003
Self-portrait with hat.
2003

Portraits of Valencia

As portrait painting is my daily job, sometimes I want to do some different painting. In case if there is time left of course. Doing watercolours of the village for instance. Years ago I made some oil paintings of some built environment with human presence. Here I show you three of these non-commissioned works. Three portraits of Valencia, as you want. Click to enlarge the images.

"Hombre en el Puente" (2) Puente del Mar, Valencia. óleo. 41 x 51 cm.
“Hombre en el Puente” (2)
Puente del Mar, Valencia.
óleo. 41 x 51 cm.
"Hombre en el Puente" (1) La Pechina, Valencia. oleo. 55 x 55 cm.
“Hombre en el Puente” (1)
La Pechina, Valencia.
oleo. 55 x 55 cm.

 

"La vendedora de helados" Mercado de Colon.Valencia oleo. 55 x 55 cm.
“La vendedora de helados”
Mercado de Colon.Valencia
oleo. 55 x 55 cm.

When to use retouching varnish.

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 “When to use retouching varnish.”

Portrait of a little girl.

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!Portrait of a little girl. detail

Click on the image to enlarge.
Click on the image to enlarge.

 

Empty easel, portraits to be delivered.

Portrait to be delivered soon
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.

Chelva during the rain.

Another water colour of the view from our kitchen window. “Chelva during heavy rains.” From now on I will show you every now and then a new watercolour from our village.

chelva misty