Dorothy Gauvin
by Dorothy Gauvin
Art Gallery Gauvin
To contact Dorothy, click on her photo, which will take you to her web site and e-mail.
©Dorothy Gauvin, 2003/2004
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Dorothy Gauvin |
Articles of Interest for Artists by Dorothy Gauvin Art Gallery Gauvin To contact Dorothy, click on her photo, which will take you to her web site and e-mail. |
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The Painted Portrait
What's so hard about it?
Most people tend to answer: "Getting the likeness." But any experienced, successful
and honest portrait painter can tell you that "getting a likeness" is purely a matter
of careful observation and measurement of the sitter's physical proportions. A human
subject can, and should be, assessed by the artist in the same way as you would a
landscape, still life or any other subject for a painting.
The real challenge is to convey the Character of the person you're painting. For
this, it's essential to arrange at least one face-to-face meeting with your Subject,
lasting at least two hours. Although it's natural to offer coffee or a cold drink,
don't let this become a social visit. Your sitter's time is at least as valuable
as your own and s/he is at your studio for a purpose. Use the time well.
A very good way to get a feel for your sitter's inner Self is to make this first
meeting a photo session. With a fast-action camera - hand-held, no tripods or
fancy lights to make the sitter nervous and self-conscious - you can ask questions
while you snap away. Somehow, people are always willing to answer the photographer!
One unforgettable instance of this happened as I was taking the initial snapshots
of a retired sugarcane farmer who was extremely reserved and private by nature.
Acting on a happy inspiration, I produced an authentic, well-worn cane machete
from my "props" cupboard and asked him to demonstrate the proper way to use it
(on an imaginary stand of cane.) Suddenly, he came to life and talked with deep
passion about his love for the land and his life on the farm, recalling his
favourite dog and the long-dead horses which once helped him cultivate the crop.
Thinking aloud, I said it sounded as if he were speaking of his own private kingdom
and he replied that was just how he felt about it. That moment of illumination
resulted in the portrait I called "Sugarcane Kingdom." (pictured here.)
The photos don't need to be very good because you'll mainly use them as reference
when the sitter is absent. So, be sure to get shots from many angles. You will
have taken measurements, either with calliper or by eye, and noted these down in
writing or by making sketches. Still, your photos will be invaluable in letting
you check without constantly calling the sitter back to the studio.
The greatest boon of the camera is in letting you catch that characteristic gesture
or stance of your subject when s/he is at ease and forgetting to "pose."
An example of this happened during the first session for my portrait of a well-known
conservationist and fellow artist ("Percy", pictured here.) When Percy came to view
the finished work, he brought along his wife and his mother. They were all pleased
with the portrait, but Percy protested that he never stood with his hands thrust
down in his pockets as shown in the painting. As he said it, his two ladies laughed,
and as they pointed at him, Percy looked down and grinned, seeing his hands were,
at that moment, stuck deep in his trouser pockets.
Of course, as every portrait painter knows, a truly accurate rendition of the subject
may provoke disappointment caused by the sitter's own vanity or the sentimentality
of relatives and friends. This obstacle arose very early in my own career. The
sitter was about to resume her overseas posting and wanted the portrait as a gift
for her mother. Lucy (not her real name) was a very beautiful woman in her
mid-forties, with a "lived-in" face full of character. But like so many women of
our Super-model era, Lucy worried about the lines that made her face so expressive,
even in repose. Her only request to me was: "You will take out my wrinkles, won't
you?" Sitting her down at my dressing table, I asked her to smile into the mirror.
She was then able to see, as I had, that her so-called wrinkles were all lines of
good humour and a record of the happiness she had experienced.
Some weeks later, I took a phone call from Lucy's mother, who asked if she could
bring the portrait to my studio for discussion about a change she'd like made.
I figured this would be minor; after all, it's been infamously said that "A portrait
is a likeness in which there's something wrong with the mouth." But did I get a
shock! The lady explained that her daughter did not have "all those wrinkles" and
she had brought along some photos to prove it and help me change the painting.
Carefully, I set them out in a row, asking the mother to tell me what age Lucy was
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when each photo was taken. The oldest of them was taken when Lucy was nineteen. I then laid out the photos I had taken of Lucy at her sitting, letting the mother make her own comparisons. She was able to realise that her fond maternal memory had obscured the reality. I did this once, myself. An attempt to produce a portrait of my son as a gift for his grandmother resulted in an aberration that made him appear angelic. Only he had the ability to make me see what I'd done: "Mum, you've painted this one with the eye of a Mother, not a Painter." When you arranged this first session with your client on the phone, you would have clearly stated how long it would take. It is courteous to stick to that agreement - your client may well have other important things to do that day. So, keep a discreet eye on your watch, and when time's nearly up, thank your client for a productive session. Ask that s/he be willing to come to the studio again for at least one more sitting prior to the final check (skin and hair colouring etc) before completion of the painting. S/he is certain to agree; after all, s/he has as much interest as you do in achieving a successful portrait. It's a good idea to discuss size at this stage; some people have a fixed preference, though they will accept your advice if you clearly explain your reasons. I have sometimes had to persuade clients to a smaller size - for example, when a huge canvas of a child would be inappropriate to the subject and overwhelming in the home - or a larger size when a double portrait would look cramped on a small canvas. You might ask whether s/he would like to arrange the framing or would prefer to leave it to you. Before s/he leaves, explain that you will send a letter setting out the specifications of the work for approval, within the next X weeks. This will depend on how long it takes you to decide on the composition, which in turn will decide the best size (and in most cases, the price) for the work. If you're an experienced painter, this will also allow you to quote an estimated delivery date. It's extremely helpful to both parties if you can show your sketches or drawings at this point. It's a bit tough to expect anyone else to imagine what you are planning from words alone! Because my technique is to make a detailed Drawing straight onto the canvas, I can invite clients to view it at the studio if they live locally or are prepared to travel. But many folk can happily decide to go ahead on the basis of photos of your drawings, so long as you spell everything out. If you accept a commission from a corporate or public (i.e. government funded and administered) client, I would recommend the use of a formal contract. Guidelines are available from your local Art Society or Arts Law centre. But for private clients, my experience has been that such formality is not needed. Your letter setting out the specifications of the work, and the client's acceptance* will be binding enough. In nearly thirty years, I've never had a private client who did the wrong thing. *If you have doubts, ask for a written acceptance "for your records" or write a memo of the client's phone call accepting, and maybe lodge a copy with your lawyer. One more thing: Because a portrait is a Painting, and a painting evolves like a living thing during its creation, it is vital that you reserve the right to make changes if the artistic need arises, even after the client's approval of your original design. Make this request clearly before you begin, in fact, it's best to include it in your letter as well. If you've taken the time to plan the painting to the very best of your ability, any changes will not radically affect the design, but will only enhance it. To sum up:
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