58. The Wedding
71.4cm high x 91.6cm wide
Acrylic on deep edged canvas
2014
NFS
Private Commission
This piece was a commission. The aim was to depict all of the elements of the day, so it wasn’t completely realistic nor was it to be too fantastical.
I attended the day with paints and sketch canvas in hand. Unfortunately the small Gazebo I had been allotted to paint under blew away as I arrived. (This is the English summer don’t forget). I did get some fine weather to capture the house from across the lake. Camera in hand I walked about the site and photographed many of the viewpoints. The moment depicted did sort of occur – although at this precise moment the heavens opened! I took many photos and also was lucky enough to dip into the stock of official and other people’s photos.
Next job was to create a composition that appealed to the client. There was then a period of creating composites of people shots so that they could be looking in an appropriate direction, or interacting with each other in an interesting fashion or indeed to have legs! Then it was back to the client with this for advice on who were the “featured artists”.
From computer to canvas; everything is blocked in position and finally detailing up. I imagine it’s the type of image where people may look closely to see if they are in it; and so I used a very fine brush and a magnifying lens to do extensive detail on the figures to get a certain level of recognisability.
It’s been a lot of work, but I am pleased with the result, and so was the client and his wife.
Acrylic on deep edged canvas
2014
NFS
Private Commission
This piece was a commission. The aim was to depict all of the elements of the day, so it wasn’t completely realistic nor was it to be too fantastical.
I attended the day with paints and sketch canvas in hand. Unfortunately the small Gazebo I had been allotted to paint under blew away as I arrived. (This is the English summer don’t forget). I did get some fine weather to capture the house from across the lake. Camera in hand I walked about the site and photographed many of the viewpoints. The moment depicted did sort of occur – although at this precise moment the heavens opened! I took many photos and also was lucky enough to dip into the stock of official and other people’s photos.
Next job was to create a composition that appealed to the client. There was then a period of creating composites of people shots so that they could be looking in an appropriate direction, or interacting with each other in an interesting fashion or indeed to have legs! Then it was back to the client with this for advice on who were the “featured artists”.
From computer to canvas; everything is blocked in position and finally detailing up. I imagine it’s the type of image where people may look closely to see if they are in it; and so I used a very fine brush and a magnifying lens to do extensive detail on the figures to get a certain level of recognisability.
It’s been a lot of work, but I am pleased with the result, and so was the client and his wife.