Portrait painting in stages

This is an early example and one of my first efforts at glazing over a grisaille underpainting, a portrait I painted of Dai, in stages. You can see the grid system I used to copy the original photograph reference. I don’t have a strict methodology of working from darkest darks to lightest lights that you can sometimes read about on academic portrait painting sites,…

First glaze

First glaze done. Took about 90 minutes. I’ll adjust the colours and drawing as I go on #portrait #art #painting #oilpainting #glaze #grisaille #underpainting #contemporaryart #realism

Grisaille underpainting

Grisaille underpainting finished for another portrait. Ready for a glaze very soon. #devon #portraitpainting #glazing #underpainting #contemporaryart #art #portrait #oilpainting #oiloncanvas #painting

//www.instagram.com/p/BMzGPrlD5C6/embed/ Glazing over the grisaille. I’m sure you’ll appreciate the flashy production values. Full video at mattharveyart.com #grisaille #portrait #art #oilpainting #contemporaryart #underpainting #glazing #portraitpainting #devon

Colour glazing – 3rd glaze over the underpainting

3rd glaze done. Still a few more needed #underpainting #grisaille #portrait #portraitpainting #oiloncanvas #art #painting #fineart #devon #glaze #contemporaryart #contemporaryrealism #oilpainting

Would be nice to do another version of this one day – carved directly in Carrara marble using photos as a reference #carrara #marble #directcarving #contemporaryart #sculpture #portrait #stonecarving #babygirl #elbowgrease #portraitsculpture #marblesculpture #stonesculpture #devon

Before and after glazing with grisaille underpainting, Portrait of Hideo in oil paint on canvas

Before and after #rosycheeks #babyboy #stars #oilpainting #portraitart #portraitpainting #grisaille #underpainting #glazing

First glaze done on the face. Having fun with the pattern on his sleep suit, stars floating off the picture plane! #oilpainting #portrait #portraitpainting #underpainting #grisaille #sleepsuit #pyjamas #stars #babyboy #rosycheeks

First interrupted sitting of Jewellery designer Steve Whitford.. http://www.mattharveyart.com/mattharveyart-blog/55216-steve

Andrea Del Sarto, Madonna of the harpies, detail

urgetocreate: Vincent van Gogh, The Reaper (after Millett), September, 1889

dappledwithshadow: The Painting Session, Henri Matisse 1942

Dawn by William Reid Dick I like this carving of a sleeping child, and the neat wrapping of the head with folds of fabric. The stone is given a nice fleshy quality and the carving feels as if its been done so tenderly, as the artist literally felt his way around and over the folds of the child’s head. The contrast with the base…

Portrait of a baby in Carrara marble, direct carved using hand tools

Alice’ carved in Carrara Marble. 20x25x20cm. The sculpture is created from photos – One master photo, and then others to guide the 3D form. When someone smiles the cheeks get pulled up, they then narrow the eyes, the ears get pulled a bit, the neck creases.. All these things need to be pulled together at the same time to create the piece. Working in…

Working on ‘Alice’ – Usually I’m wearing a huge mask, and you can see I’m being showered with little chips of stone in a dust cloud. I use a nylon mallet, which shouldn’t be so misshapen, but for some abuse with the wrong chisels. Hammer headed chisels have a very small end to them which leaves dents in the mallet when you are really…