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Thank you, Christina, for your advice on military style portraiture.
I have sat with my client and showed him a large selection of military portraits and my advice was to to have no props whatsoever and to use the attached reference photograph for his stance. I did a quick watercolour for him to give him more ideas also.
He came up with the idea for the props and what he wanted himself and I do not yet feel qualifed to cajole my client into something that he doesn't want. I suggested just having a flag in the background as you are doing in your military portrait but he pooh-poohed that idea.
I am continuing with the composition as it is because he has OK'd it and I have already done a lot of work on it.
However, I have added his hat to the desk to take away the empty space on the desk. I don't know whether this improves it or not and would like some opinions on this, please.
Also, I have added his medals in an impressionistic way, toning them down quite a lot (they are very colourful medals) in the hope that they do not overpower the face of the subject. Have I succeeded? Or should I tone them down even more?
I have corrected a few drawing errors on his face that Chris pointed out to me. Yes, Chris, you were right. All I did to correct this was to widen his face and ears and adjust his forehead and hairline. This seemed to do the trick for me. However, you may see something else.
Good luck with your military portrait, Christina.
Thank you for looking.
Barbara
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