Starting on the Larger Work

I have changed the position of the father's head. Over the next few days I will try to cover the canvas with the general idea and then build it up into a complete painting over the next few weeks. Eventually, on my other blog, I will post more photos of the whole process so that you can see, step by step, what goes into making a larger portrait commission.


Here I am checking the proportions of the face and the bodies before I commit to using paint. It saves a lot of time to make sure the dimensions are right from the very beginning. I use an old pencil compass that my Dad used when he was in school. It must be at least 50 years old.

Preliminary Sketches

Friday morning we had the photoshoot for the next portrait commission which is of a sweet family of five. I got the first chance I've had since getting the photos in on Saturday night to sit down and start sketching out composition ideas. This is just one of three ideas that I am working on. Not quite sure which I will go with for the final work because, if all goes as planned, the family will choose from two or three of them. Lots of little details to work out first to make it really work.