I currently have a commission for an oil portrait of a couple's wedding. They were married in the '80's and had two ceremonies. The wife is American and the husband is Indian. They had an Indian ceremony and the next day a traditional church wedding. The painting is a surprise gift for her husband.
Here is where my dilemma begins. First of all, the American wedding ceremony was documented by a professional photographer but apparently he did not do a very good job as I had a hard time finding any photos in her album really worthy to paint. She wore a gown with big, puffy sleeves ( very in style in the 1980's) which she does not like. She wants the sleeves smaller. I found an exceptable photo where her husband's hand is holding down the sleeve (front views were awful). Also they are not smiling which is good.
I was also given some snapshots of the Indian ceremony. These were more interesting, full of color and patterns, but no one got a photo of the bride and groom together or any good pictures of the groom without his face veiled.
I would love to "marry" these two ceremonies together into one painting. I am thinking about using the American photo and replacing the curtain behind them with fabric or a symbol or Indian words or something that would represent the Indian ceremony.
Any advice or suggestions are enormously appreciated. Here is a website that I found that has some symbols/words. I just don't know what they say.
http://www.indianweddingcard.com/sym...kh_symbols.htm
I don't think the wife can be much help on this unless she can contact some of the relatives to help translate. And what is sikh? I am going to call the wife but I am trying to gather my thoughts and questions together first.
Thanks!
Cynthia
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