subject: One Portraitist's Necessity To Spend Time With Her Subjects [print this page] The challenge for portrait painters is pleasing the beholder as well as being able to fix a typical posture on a canvas as well as other details that capture the subject and brings it to life even if it needs the use of the tiniest brush strokes.
Capable of bringing her subjects to life is one female portraitist according to satisfied customers. Still, her portfolio consists of happy, relaxed, moody, aristocratic, alert, and sensitive faces that are not human ones.
Normally, what she specializes in is painting portraits of dogs, horses, and cats but what she would like to try is painting other kinds of animals.
Her home is in the Maplewood section of the borough and there is a studio where this tall and slender woman lives. It was five years ago when she thought about combining her love for art and animals.
In the past, she only painted the heads of the animals but nowadays she paints them in their entirety and her newest project is that of a horse running across a field.
Interesting compositions is what they make according to her as she has created two or more even if the typical portrait is of a single animal. When her clients tell others of how she painted their pets they now become her new clients asking her to paint more than one of their pets.
There was a woman with three wolfhounds who commissioned a portrait for each. In the same way as people are, each one is different here.
What she brings to dog and horse shows are her business cards, camera, and portfolio. In animal portraiture, you do not have a model that will agree to hold still and pose and so what is important is the knowledgeable use of a camera.
What she does is shoot one or two rolls of film for each subject and then paints using these pictures. In order to see the true color of its coat and to perceive its character, she finds it necessary to spend time with the animal and handle it if possible.
Another thing she finds important is being able to determine how well the relationship is between the animal and its owner.
As closely as possible, she tries to capture their view and her personal view of the particular animal. When it comes to portraits, it is important to present the correct conformation of the animal and a key feature that conveys the personality of the animal is the expression in the eyes.
There are times when conformation is vital especially with show animals. Apart from knowing a lot of animals you also need some familiarity when it comes to the correct conformation.
Considering animal portraiture, there is great satisfaction. So pleased was he at the unveiling that he could not stop chuckling and shaking his head.
Aside from having other people commission portraits of their own beloved pets there are some who order them to be handed out as gifts.
Experts say that there is often the thought that the portrait will be a special keepsake after the animal dies. From photographs, an artist can create a portrait considering that they are good enough to use and she has been able to paint a portrait of a deceased pet.
What she makes use of are pencil, pastels, and oils. Normally, she works on only one project at a time. She tries not to give specific time frame because it's not good for an artist to work under pressure.
She paints one or two portraits a month. As she finishes a painting she takes a break for she knows how it is exhausting for a painter to paint an even if she tries to paint everyday she still gives herself a break on the weekends.
