Gallery

Explanations regarding the Portraits

Although it's sometimes unavoidable to paint from photographs instead of looking at a person sitting in front of you, I prefer to work that way if the photograph is good. It allows me to take my time. Like many painters, I start with a drawing and sometimes work on it for a long time until I'm satisfied.

The famous French painter Jean Auguste Ingres once said: "The drawing contains three and a half quarters of the painting... Drawing contains everything except paint."

I start by drawing the subject on a white canvas, adding only the main areas of shade to get an idea of the final expression. It takes time because I'm trying to understand the person's thoughts and feelings, their fears, hopes and desires at that moment. This will hopefully come through in the final portrait after the paint has been applied. Tiny changes of line, shade or colour will bring the face to life, expressing emotions and even thoughts far beyond the capacity of a photograph.