Governor's Portrait Unveiling

[Mark Lovett]

Michele,
You have obviously developed a very successful system of producing high quality portraits. I hope I'm not driving you crazy with questions. Im just trying to learn from the best. To get such a high degree of accuracy I suppose there has to be very little guess work. When forced to work with photos, such as in this portrait, how do you get such an accurate drawing to the canvas from which to paint into? Do you prefer working from printed photos or computer monitor (if monitor..what size do you use?) or projector...what seems to be working so well for you?
Thanks,
Mark

[Michele Rushworth]

I do a lot of measuring to get things in the right place. I don't use a monitor as that presents me with colors and values I can't possibly replicate in paint (a monitor has a much different "color gamut", as they say, than paint does.) I work from printed photos. One of the biggest challenges I have is getting the best printed photos I can. Otherwise the painted product won't turn out right.

[Renee Price]

This painting is wonderful Michele!! Congratulations on a wonderful painting and the deserved recognition!

Renee

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Michele,

I have not been on line much and have just now come across this wonderful painting. You have portrayed the governor having a friendly and as Garth had said it "engaging" personalty. I really like that is it not the usual "stiff" pose. Congratulations! Nicely done

[Geary Wootten]

Hi Michele,

I wasn't posting much when this first came out a few months ago so I thought I'd use my tardiness to bump it back up again.

Really, really great capture of him. I got a chance to shake Governor Locke's hand at a local union rally back in the day's of WTO and what not when I worked in a union sign shop. I can tell everyone that you have definitely captured his spirit in this fine portrait. Congrats again from a former Puget Sounder.

~Gear