Flattery

[Aldo Balding]

There are some very talented artists here. But why do so many paint portraits, particularly in the case of children, portray them in the same angelic manner? Silk dresses, immaculately coiffured, wafted from Paradise and bathed in heavenly light. Is that what all these children are like? Is there any honesty here?

Portraying someone in a favourable manner is one thing, but I find this absurd.

Does anyone agree?

Aldo Balding

[Erika Nelson]

Hello Aldo,

We already had our introductions earlier and I expressed how much I like your portraiture.

Different strokes for different folks is what gives our industry the longevity, don't you think? The fact that there is room for all range of taste and preferences makes us accessible and desirable for commissions from a whole world of people with different needs and different ideas of their ideal portraits.

I am glad that there are artists who can please the photorealist clients because I would not be interested in such a commission. In short, what I'm saying is, the kind of art that doesn't appeal to you exists because there is a demand for it. And it's great because there's plenty of room for all of us!

[Steven Sweeney]

Aldo,

With all respect -- because I admire your work, and have recently said so elsewhere to others before you joined us -- this Forum isn't much into labeling any portrait artists' work as dishonest or absurd. If you work your way through the SOG galleries from the home page of this site, I daresay you won't find a single dishonest or absurd work. It's instead representative of the best work of the highest practitioners of the art.

My assumption in response to your query is that the nature of the challenged presentations is what was desired and approved by the clients. There are worse things that a portrait artist can do than provide a finished piece, however influenced by the artist's personality and tastes, that fulfills the client's expectations.

It would be helpful to discussion -- which should be pursued elsewhere, perhaps in the Cafe section -- if you would mention instead the things that you look for, work for, and expect in a portrait, all of which I'm sure would be provocative subject matter.

Welcome, in any event, to the Forum community, in which many extraordinarily talented and very savvy portrait professionals reside, read, and participate. One of the "absurdities" in our modern, small world is that you may well run into some of them someday.

[Karin Wells]

I disagree.

As a professional portrait painter, I have never had a client request that I paint a child to look messy or unattractively "real."

I would be surprised if any parent would wish to pay my fees in order to do that.

However, if you wish to paint reality in this manner and can make a living doing it, I am pleased for you.

[Aldo Balding]

Interesting comments.

By way of introduction, I am a London-based artist. Amongst the artists I admire are Andrew Festing, Keith Breeden, Richard Schmid, Scott Burdick and Adrian Gottlieb, particularly portrait of My.

I paint 5-6 days a week on commissioned portraits and gallery paintings. I am currently working on the children of our poet laureate amongst others.

I know there is a difference in taste between the British and American painters and importantly the sitters. The example being an ASOPA award winner who had all 3 entries rejected from last year's Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition. This was a shame as he is a brilliant, honest painter, but the selection committee found them too "chocolate boxy".

In answer to Peter's questions I do turn work down. Particularly corporate paintings unless I can paint the man behind the suit. My prices are on www.commissionaportrait.com
I am genuinely interested in your comments.

Regards,
Aldo Balding

[Jeff Fuchs]

Aldo,

I think your introduction skills could use a little polish. To introduce yourself by declaring SOG artists to have bad taste, is just not the best approach. It's like approaching a woman saying "Your shoes are ghastly. Can I take you to dinner?"

You may well be able to save us from our own dreadful taste, but you'll have more success if you put a dab of sugar on it.

[Peter Jochems]

I don't think I asked you something, I made a few remarks which I deleted later.

I was annoyed for the reasons Jeff already pointed out.

[Steven Sweeney]

I paint 5-6 days a weeks on commissioned portraits and gallery paintings.

Me, too, but I can never decide which weeks each year to do that.

But seriously, Aldo, let's pull back and allow the Geiger counter's needle to settle down a little, and move philosophical discussions into the Cafe, technical matters into that area, and appraisals into Critiques. With the apparent exception of this thread, members don't really expect or intend to carry on substantive discussions in this usually cordial Introduction area -- where, in any event, they'll be lost, as no one will come here looking for them.

Most of us studied with someone, or many someones, and we all have favorites, ancient and contemporary, but what excites many of us here is what you're working on now, and I'm sure that other Forum members would be as appreciative of your work and comments on practice and theory as would I, in the Forum topics suited to them. So a second albeit somewhat tentative welcome, and let's head out there.

Girding of loins is optional. Chain mail is unnecessary, here.

[Jeff Fuchs]

[Peter Jochems]

Hi Aldo,

It would be a pity if you stayed away from the forum because of a rough start. I think your work and style is an approach on portraiture which complements what we already see here on the forum. It's nice to see people with different styles, opinions and backgrounds interact here.

The discussion you wanted to start would possibly be an interesting thread in the Cafe Guerbois.

Peter