Right size, important person.

Elizabeth Schott · 10-24-2004, 12:01 AM

I am getting ready to start the most important portrait of my life. The person is nationally known but unfortunately she has passed away.

They gave me a box of reference and they prefer her in her much younger days. I did find a lovely shot with a beautiful dress where she still looks like we remember in the her later years, meaning you would know it was her. I am also adding her beloved dog.

So the composition will be a full seated figure with a flowing 1940's dress, hem line mid cafe. at her feet will be her dog.

What size canvas should I use? Is there a standard for something like this? I am sure the bigger the better, but my experience lends itself to a 20 x 24 canvas. If I go bigger do I need to go to a panel?

Any suggestions would be great.

Also is anyone familiar with the copyright of photo's when the subject and photographer are both passed away? If the family has given the portrait to me, is this OK?

Kimberly Dow · 10-24-2004, 12:36 AM

Oh come on now! That's just not right. Who IS it?

Linda Brandon · 10-24-2004, 12:51 AM

Beth, give this site a try:
http://painting.about.com/library/bl...pyrightfaq.htm

I don't know if it's of any use to you but I found it tonight while trying to look up something else.

Michele Rushworth · 10-24-2004, 09:31 AM

The subject, the painting and you will all gain in status if the painting is done no less than life size. Make a big statement!

Marvin Mattelson · 10-24-2004, 11:18 AM

Since this is an important commission, if I were you I would, do it at a size you are the most comfortable with. Don't go changing your batting stance when you go to the world series. The time for experimentation is NOT when you take center stage.

Also if you have to blow up a small photo too much you'll find a lack of clarity to work from. In any case I would suggest you photograph someone with similar looks to get better quality details. Take closeups.

Also, do a small study to work out color, composition, edges and values. This is the dress rehearsal for your big performance. Great artists have everything worked out before they start.

Linda Brandon · 10-24-2004, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Schott

Also is anyone familiar with the copyright of photo's when the subject and photographer are both passed away? If the family has given the portrait to me, is this OK?

What I try to do is shift the burden of tracking down permissions to the client. I have a clause in my contract for photography. I have no idea whether a court would find this valid. It's my own version of a warning from the Surgeon General.

Photographs. All photographs taken by the Artist remain the property of the Artist unless otherwise specified. Client agrees to provide all necessary permissions or waivers with respect to any other photographs used by Artist in the painting.

Linda Nelson · 10-24-2004, 11:46 AM

the larger you make it the more staure she'll have, but you may not want to go huge, and there's always the need to not make it too large for te space it will hang in.

given those general parameters, I'd add that, in my own work, I don't like to have a head the is small than 5 1/2 to 6 inches. A large 10" -11" head is great, but if the canvas also will include some or all of the body that can make for a huge painting. The majority of the head sizes I paint are around 7 inches high, as it's the largest I can go while still keeping the rest of the body in the composition (which most people want).

I assume you know how to use a proportion wheel and so can forcast what you canvas size you end up with based on measuring the head size. If not let me know and I'll show you how it works.

Marvin Mattelson · 10-24-2004, 07:39 PM

Linda#1,

Back in the day, when I was an illustrator, I had a standard contract provision stating that my client was fully responsible for any reference material they provided to me.

Linda#2,
Heads painted larger than life size, unless the painting will be viewed at some distance, will have a very uncomfortable effect on the viewer. Most human heads are smaller than 10" unless Beth is painting Yao Ming or Shaquille O'Neil.

Elizabeth Schott · 10-25-2004, 06:13 PM

Thanks guys for your input, there were great suggestions.

I feel like this is my "Silvia" Marvin. I contacted a costume lady for the colors of Dior in the early 1950's and have researched things like crazy.

The reference is a large 10 x 14 print, but it doesn't matter since I've scanned it for my monitor.

I will do a smaller scale color study and this should help a ton, I do think I would like to keep her head at 7" or under since it is a full seated figure, with a very large dog.

To actually keep it this size I think I would have to go 46 x 39 or smaller I figured 34 x 29 (sorry I am not sure if my math is exact yet).

To go this large, would you go to a linen panel? Doesn't stretched linen become a trampoline?

And an extra thanks for the copyright disclaimers, those were great!

Kim because of the google thing, I can't say... you can pm me.

Marvin Mattelson · 10-25-2004, 06:46 PM

Linen was originally used a a painting surface because of the weight and size limitations of panels. If properly stretched it has a drum-like surface. If a canvas loses tension in the future the stretchers can be tightened with keys (little wooden pegs. I use a heavy duty stretcher with cross braces which I purchase at Soho Artist Supplies on Grand Street in New York City.