Before Painting Begins
Materials
Oils are my medium of choice because they are time-tested and honored. The oil paintings of the Great Masters are still as fresh and vibrant today as they were the day they were completed. Colors are still rich and luminous.
Canvas is also selected for performance and permanence possible. In a day when synthetic and synthetic blend canvases have been joined by other types of painting supports, selecting the best support can be confusing. Once again, I refer to the materials used by the Old Masters of past centuries, as well as modern day masters. Belgian linen has long been known for longevity.
My current canvas of choice is Raphael Oil Primed Belgian linen. This excellent, Italian-made canvas is an incredible canvas made only from the finest prepared linens. It is a sturdy weight, strong canvas prepared with five coats of priming beginning with traditional rabbit-skin glue and concluding with two coats of oil primer. The resulting surface is smooth, almost silky in look and feel.
I use either Raphael canvas panels mounted on mdf or hand-stretched Raphael on kiln-dried stretchers. Canvas is hand-stretched over kiln-dried wood stretchers in my studio or by artists whose skill and technique I trust to provide the best possible support for every painting.
I also use Artfix Oil Primed Canvas for it's silk-like finish and sturdy construction. It is ideal for detail work.
The oil paints are also with all the same considerations. The paints I use have been proven through the decades as reliable, color fast and richly pigmented. Preferred manufacturers of fine oil paint include Winsor & Newton, LeFranc & Bourgeois, and Van Gogh.
Technique
Every portrait begins with a detailed pencil drawing. During the drawing phase, the overall design of the portrait is determined. Design includes the size and placement of the subject of the painting; establishing light and shadow and determining background elements. The drawing is approved by the client, then transferred to canvas.Once the drawing has been transferred to canvas, it is 'fixed' with thinned paint. Then the painting is fully developed in half-tones using two or three colors that will provide a complement to the final colors of the background and horse. Details are placed at this stage. Lights and darks are established and adjustments can be made if necessary. Working out the details in this manner can take up to six weeks, but the time is well spent.
This underpainting is allowed to dry for a minimum of two weeks after completion, then colors are glazed over the underpainting. At this stage, the painting process involves applying each transparent color, waiting for it to dry completely, then applying the next color. The result is a rich, luminous painting that cannot be duplicated by any other method.
When the entire painting is completed it is allowed to dry thoroughly before a protective varnish is added.
The painting is then ready for framing to customer specifications and delivery.