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Painting from life
Hi Linda, how are you?
I have been painting from life a lot recently, and as I said I grew more confident. At the end of the day is only a matter of practicing.
I do agree at the beginning with the client that there will be live sittings, the more the better, and that I might want to go and paint in the house even if the subject is not there.
I find it very useful, when I am in the right mood everything goes swiftly, I paint fast because I am under pressure, and I can finally see all the purples, greens blues in the face. As you know I work from B&W photos, so I normally make them up a little, but seeing them it's actually much easier. Working from life also helps me to blur the image more. When I paint from an enlarged photo that I keep at 5 inches from my eyes I can see better all the details and tend to paint them, as if I had Superman vision. In the girl's portrait I managed to be quite loose I think.
Now, regarding the client's attitude, it is sometimes trouble. With the excuse of having them signing something to allow me to publish the painting with the name, I have now prepared a letter where I say that the portrait is a cohoperation between us, and that they need to be available. This last lady dragged me on for weeks before the daughter could find a week-end morning for me, I should have asked a big deposit!
But also going there with your easel, your stuff, setting up etc, I have noticed it generates a certain awe and respect that you can take advantage on. You must, I think, pose like THE artist, so that you can say: I am the artist, I will not modify the mouth! later on.
It is anyway very interesting and rewarding to establish a short friendship, especially with the children I paint. I just enjoy spending time with them rather then be always on my own upstairs listening to BBC4 !
Love
Ilaria
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