Marilyn on porcelain

Celeste McCall · 12-29-2009, 09:12 PM

My challenge to myself was to paint Marilyn Monroe and try to get the likeness but also to add more depth (which was lacking in the source photograph) without too much difference in the end result.

This is an 8"x10" porcelain painting.
See her bigger here:
http://www.celestemccall.net/mmc2.jpg

Debra Rexroat · 12-30-2009, 05:55 AM

Incredible as usual, Celeste!

Celeste McCall · 12-30-2009, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the post Debra and I hope that all is well with you and your loved ones. I also hope that you are busy making your beautiful paintings. Thanks also for all the help that you gave us in 2009. The evaluations that you made were great and everyone seemed to learn a lot from them.

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Julie Deane · 12-30-2009, 02:14 PM

This is really well done, Celeste. Portrait painting on porcelain can produce stunning results. I imagine there is a completely different methodology to doing it?

Celeste McCall · 12-30-2009, 02:57 PM

Dear Julie,
Thanks for the post and I appreciate your doing so.

The hand-painting of porcelain is like a watercolor technique or a transparent glazing technique in oils. The white of the surface is seen through the paint at all times except in the darkest areas (which are painted last).

This painting has 5 firings (about 2 hours of work per sitting). The paints will never dry so they have to be fired in a kiln each time (between paintings) to embed the paint and make it permanent. A hand- painted porcelain painting could possibly last forever.

Thanks again, Julie.

Anelia Guteva · 12-01-2010, 06:26 PM

I have experimented with painting on glazed porcelain before. Nkowing how difficult it is, I am really impressed by your portrait. Did you paint the lips last? I remember the red colour being very complicated. The more it is fired the more it fades out, but all you colours seem perfect. But anyway, it isgreat to see such an accomplished painting on porcelain.