When I paint portraits I'm never going for a photo realistic likeness, my style is to be more expressive to get across an essence of who the person is as viewed through my unique lens. That is what I can give with my art... my perspective, and what I hope to achieve with this is to connect, inspire and learn your unique view.
For this series of portraits I wanted to challenge myself to push my use of colour further than before. So I begun these portraits with a super bright underpainting using flourescent acrylics and inks. My idea was that these flourescent tones would give a luminosity to the faces even after they were layered over with oil paints and pastels.
This acrylics stage is where I laid down a lot of detail and structure. The oil pastels on top created some interesting texture to the skin, that really benefit from viewing in person. Then oil paints and glazes over top give more fullness and depth to the faces, while the luminous colours underneath can still radiate through.
The references for this series is mostly models and actors whose images sparked my own creativity, morphing into new ideas.
I prefer viewers do not focus on trying to figure out who the models are, but instead think on what they get from the image and whether the paintings bring up any memories or feelings.
This collection of portraits is available to view by appointment at my home studio-gallery in Kinsale. Co. Cork.
This series can also stand as an example of my colourful style when in comes to portraits, and if that speaks to you and you would like to commission a portrait painting please get in touch by email to cici.art.crafts@gmail.com
