Going back to portraits

CiDeRmAn

I've just finished a painting and have decided to return to canvas, a painting of a rainy O'Connell Street, I abandoned four years ago.

And, as soon as I had that back on the easel, I get a message from a colleague looking for a portrait...

My problem is I don't like doing portraits, they take too too long, like 40 hours or more, and I end up hating it.

I haven't done one, as a result, in nearly ten years but now, now I'm tempted to jump in and give it a whirl.

So do I just jump in or is there a good resource on portraiture I could look at first?

New Home

http://www.pjlynchgallery.com/portraits/

IIRC, he made these (at least, the sketches), during the life drawing sessions at the Untited Arts Club in Dublin.

https://en-gb.facebook.com/UnitedArtsClub/

Sure, do the portrait - you might (re)discover the pleasure of doing them, or it might remind you why you hate them.

Or you could combine your love of landscapes with your dislike of portraits and paint the portrait outdoors?

Ok, I'm probably not helping...

CiDeRmAn

No, you've helped!

I've a painting to finish and I'll give the portrait a whirl.

It is from a photo and, unfortunately, it's not an especially dramatic or interesting picture at that.

I'll see how it does and post it in the show your artwork thread... All going well.

If I never post it...

New Home

...if you never post it, it's because the dog ate your homework/the picture (delete as appropriate)? :pac:

Doing it from a photo will obviously be more difficult, but at least the picture doesn't move and doesn't mind if you don't do small talk.

CiDeRmAn

New Home wrote: »

...if you never post it, it's because the dog ate your homework/the picture (delete as appropriate)? :pac:

Doing it from a photo will obviously be more difficult, but at least the picture doesn't move and doesn't mind if you don't do small talk.

Indeed, though I do talk to myself quite a lot during painting...

New Home

Ah, but that's different!