Breaking down the portrait process

[Mary Reilly]

I think of a portrait as a multi-tier process, each building on the other.

The first tier involves gathering info from the client during an initial meeting.

It includes:

Who is being painted, why and where will it hang?
Child for gift for grandparents - corporate portrait for boardroom - family portrait to hang in home - etc.

What is the client envisioning?
Formal or informal portrait, approximate size, etc.?

What is the personality of the subject being painted?
Quiet, shy, outgoing, domineering, bubbly, etc.

The next tier builds on the prior. The information gathered is going to be a major factor in the pose, lighting, clothing suggestions, etc. The lighting, pose etc. of a formal portrait of a child with a bubbly personality would be different then an informal portrait of a shy child.

Now I am ready to begin the portrait, and all of the above is going to play a role in what colors will be used in the portrait and other key elements of the painting process itself. I try not to look at a subject and think about color and value key until I am clear on all of the above info.

Throughout the painting I keep in mind the answers to the first set of questions so that additional choices along the way are made accordingly.

I'm sure all of the above is already done by most in this forum, but perhaps it may help a few to think in terms of breaking the thought process down into steps.

Mary Reilly