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I often post paintings that were done quickly - within one or two sessions.  This time I am going to share with you a painting that took all summer to complete: a portrait commission of retired Macomb County Judge Peter Maceroni.

The portrait was commissioned last February and Judge Maceroni was kind enough to come to my studio for a photo shoot and to sit for a pastel color sketch.  The time spent during the photo shoot is not just for photo reference but to get to know the subject and take note of gesture and coloring that will influence the portrait. Much of painting a portrait is capturing a personality and Judge Maceroni is very charming and easy to talk to.  During a photo shoot I usually take about 200 photos and then combine the best ones into a sketch.  This time there were a lot of good photos but one was exceptional.  The pose, the expression, and the placement of the hands were perfect.  I shared the photo with the judge and he agreed.

Closeup of portrait

Detail of hands

Painting a portrait commission is not just copying a photo.  I created a couple of small oil sketches playing with different color palettes to see what would be most effective and they are somewhat cartoonish compared to the final portrait.  These small sketches aren’t meant to be finished works, but instead are rough color studies that I use as a reference for the larger painting.  The sketches help the client envision what the final painting will look like, and allows them to suggest changes.  A commission, after all, is a combined effort between the artist and the client.  I showed the sketches to the judge and his wife and after a few suggestions they were happy with the results.   I forgot to take photos to share with you but they are part of the commission package and have left the studio.   Just know that those sketches were always in view as I worked on the painting.

Once the sketches were approved I began working on the 40x30 oil primed linen.  I don’t usually work that large and covering such a big canvas meant using my biggest brushes with my entire arm in motion - it was quite a workout.  As the painting progressed the brushes got smaller and I spent many hours at the end working in sections and making small strokes to capture the nuance of expression and form. 

There is something relaxing about working on a life-sized, highly detailed portrait.  There is no pressure to complete it quickly and the process of building it in a series of layers allowed the painting to evolve slowly and confidently to the finish. 

Although I did not get photos of the small oil sketches, I did take photos of the progress of the painting which I will share with you in next week’s blog.

Until then, happy painting!