A Difficult Commission.

Hi Art Lovers.

I’m back at last !

This past month has been horrendous. I was commisioned to paint an abstract palette knife portrait in oils of a beautiful lady holding four Greyhounds on leads, this painting was to be presented to her on her 50th birthday.

My first problem was that I had never met her. I had no idea of her size, I was given photographs that her husband had taken in the last few months, and use them along with photo’s of  the beautiful dogs. I then took sketches and photo’s of the dogs being held by her husband then proceeded to build up the painting with his wife as the main character.

When first discussing with her husband about the commission, I explained that an abstract painting is only a pastiche of resemblence, as in many of my paintings. But after one week into my commission, he telephoned to inform me that the painting had to look like his wife in greater depth, as he had been thinking about the abstract style, and was worried that she would not like the gift. So what was to be a lovely free abstract painting, became a bit of a task.

Having already carried out the set up and block in. I had to return to brushwork for the face portrait likeness, this is how I used to paint before taking up the technique of palette knife, below is a photograph of the painting so far, I have added paint to the portrait with light touches of my palette knife, to bring the whole painting into line. I have a deadline of the lady’s Birthday to deliver, and just hope that she likes it. I dont think I would have enjoyed painting the whole scene with brushes, (although I could have done) as the rough genre of the palette knife gives a greater depth to the finished product. I will keep you posted of the result when delivering.

And now back to my main work.

I am demonstating my palette knife technique next week at the Wimborne Art Club in Dorset.  I am really looking forward to the evening, I have started a new animal painting, and will be posting it on my web site soon, I thank all The Field Magazine readers for there support, and ask them if they could follow my progress, on my Web Site and Facebook, also liking my page would be a great help to my profile, all for now.

Always feel free to contact me on line for advice on painting and commissions,

Best Wishes,

Michael Parker, Artist.

 

 

 

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