Getting From Here to There - Detail

 

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3. Focus on Detail!

To continue . . . I like to "scale-up" images and focus on textural details. This portrait of my dear niece, Francesca, was great fun to paint because of that. The photo was taken as we opened Christmas gifts a few years ago. Fran received a cool handset that plugged directly into her iPhone, and a swell furry headband. I decided not to show the iPhone, and scaled-up the image from the original photo to direct focus towards the center of the painting, on her expression. Where the photograph is about the telephone, the painting is about Fran!

 

 

 MORE TO FOLLOW IN COMING POSTS!

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#original portraits, #prints, #reproductions,

 #acrylicpaintingart, #greeting cards, #phonecases, #newyorkcityart

Getting From Here To There - A Portrait Painting Process

                            

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 Whenever I sit down to paint a portrait, I get flushed. Painting a viable likeness requires skill and patience, releasing the spirit of a subject is an entirely different pursuit. Portraits must evoke feeling and transfer the energy of the person to the viewer if they are to be successful, whatever the level of skill, painting style or medium. As a teacher of special needs students for many years, I've seen stick figure drawings that were unmistakably who they were intended to be. As an art lover, I seen famous portraits in galleries and museums that looked like cadavers, baring little resemblance to any breathing subject walking the planet.

So how do you get from the subject, to where the "who" in your painting is firstly recognizable, then, evocative of their personality and spirit?

Every artist has their methods. And mine are as unorthodox as the next gal's-on both counts. Getting from here to there is a very individual journey. Every person works differently, and I approach each canvas and step in the process with an open mind.

I'm certain of some of the answers, but not others. This series of blog entries will explore that process. Please join in by leaving comments as we journey!

STEP 1 Start with a good image.

Samsung Galaxy Note SmartPhone in hand, I lightly block out a likeness of the subject on the canvas. I prefer close-up views and compositions that break up the canvas in an appealing way-meaning, I don't paint a subject in a formal pose.

STEP 2 Block in the background, basic undertones/mid-tones, and significant compositional detail.

I used key green for a the backgrounds on a recent series of portraits. I like the color and it lends a graphic, non-realistic feel to the paintings. This color is typical to TV and Film production, where the figure in the foreground needs to be separated from the background to make a composite image. I selected the color so that the subjects could be removed from their context and environment-personality forward!

MORE TO FOLLOW IN COMING POSTS!

http://lisa-locurto.artistwebsites.com/

#original portraits, #prints, #reproductions,

 #acrylicpaintingart, #greeting cards, #phonecases, #newyorkcityart

 

 

Pillow Talk

I'm so pleased with the launch of my new website, lisa-locurto.artistwebsites.com The support and enthusiasm it's received has been overwhelming, and I'm thrilled to see views on the site from "beyond known entities", too. This is my second ever BLOG entry. I'm working on a few "process of art" pieces, a couple of "How To" entries and travelogue art whatnots to post. But right now, I really want to take a nap.

I like to sleep. How about you? Anyone who knows me, knows, I like to sleep, but more, I LOVE to sleep on the couch! So, throw pillows are important to me, and I have at least a couple of dozen well broken in pillows between the apartment and house that I covet.

Next to resting my head near Mr. Kitty's ample, fuzzy tummy, (see ample, fuzzy tummy below)

my other best friend during nap time is the almighty throw pillow. Not the, "place pillow", the THROW pillow! I do no place it, I THROW it into position, I wring and wrangle it into unfathomable shapes to support the crook of my neck - to maximize ZZZZZZ power. My favorite pillows have seen better days, and are, as you may have guessed, the ugliest ones. They are out of shape and nasty, down right nasty looking badass cherished pillows. But alas, it's time to replace them.

While I didn't have these items in mind when creating my paintings, friends tell me that my images are ideal for Fine Art America throw pillows.

Reasonably priced, starting at $29.00, these pillows are a great way to display and live with Fine Art, and may just keep me from destroying them. I will herein refer to them as delicately placed pillows . . .

You can find them by clicking on any painting, and selecting the pillow item icon and size that you want. You can adjust the image on the pillow template by dragging the image for print placement.

Unlike many other print reproduction sites that print only one side of the pillow with an image, Fine Art America pillows have the image on both sides. And, Fine Art America offers a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, less shipping costs, should you not be 100,000,000 % happy with your new friend or friends.

Here are a few featuring my Urban Images, but any image on the site can be made into a pillow.

Happy Napping!
Lisa Lo

 lisa-locurto.artistwebsites.com

Spring is almost in the air. Check these out:

 lisa-locurto.artistwebsites.com

 

http://lisa-locurto.artistwebsites.com/

#original portraits, #prints, #reproductions,

 #acrylicpaintingart, #greeting cards, #phonecases, #newyorkcityart, #throwpillows

New Blog

Greetings Family and Friends!

In addition to my new website, lisa-locurto.artistwebsites.com , I am venturing into blogging!

I'm not sure about the mechanics of blogging, so this should be an interesting ride as I make my way through buttons, clicks, uploads, links, and whatnots.

This will be a place to post, share and collaborate on creative ideas, projects, and finished pieces.

I hope you will join me on this journey by commenting and sharing the content of the blog!

Your Pal in Paint,

Lisa Lo

 

http://lisa-locurto.artistwebsites.com/

#original portraits, #prints, #reproductions,

 #acrylicpaintingart, #greeting cards, #phonecases, #newyorkcityart