 This is one of those special projects that you want to be perfect. This is a special couple, Gail and Denny Cresap began their life together in 1960. Together they've built a family and a business that will live on through their Family Foundation. Their son, John commissioned this portrait to hang in their foundation headquarters to honor their love and his admiration. He said he wanted everyone to witness the loving generosity of this vibrant couple. Painted at their beautiful family estate at Grand Lake Oklahoma, Gail wanted this portrait to be outdoors, where they enjoy the scenic surroundings of their lovely home and where they entertain friends and family. In the distant, you can see two bronze statues memorializing two beloved pets.
It is an amazing honor, when one of my clients contacts me again to paint another portrait. It is such an affirmation of the client's happiness and approval of the portrait painted for them in the past. I was recently approached to paint another portrait for the University of Oklahoma, Health Sciences Center, College of Dentistry. Dean of the College of Dentistry, Raymond Cohlmia DDS. is stepping down from his position to takeover as the new executive director of the American Dental Association, the nation’s leading advocate for oral health. After meeting with Dr. Cohlmia, I started visually introducing myself by crating a number of sketches, including the charcoal head study and the small compositional study, seen here with the painting in process.  Here, I am delivering my completed portrait as I stand below the portrait I painted of Dr. Stephen K. Young I had painted a number of years earlier.  And here is the finished portrait of Raymond A. Cohlmia DDS.   I am ususally called because it has been decided that a portrait is needed for an institution or organization that wants to memorialize the contributions or achievments that a special person has shared with that organization. In this case my Alma Mater, the University of Oklahoma. In October 2008 it was announced that the College of Education had received a $8 million gift from H.E. (Gene) Rainbolt in honor of his late wife, Jeannine Rainbolt. Because of that contribution, the OU Board of Regents unanimously voted to rename the college in Rainbolt's honor. It is the only college at OU to be named for a female. Although the name had been changed some time ago, they felt that they needed some point of information or memorial. I was contacted by the current Dean Stacy Reeder to talk about the possibility of me painting the portrait. I am always first and foremost concerned with the person I am painting, and then their legacy. I want to know where the portrait will hang, what size are they thinking, is it to be a formal portrait, etc. When I asked where the portrait was to hang I wanted to make sure that the portriat would also reflect the prominence of the person being honored. This was a quick photo of the space that the portrait was to be hung. I thought it would be just another painting over a bookshelf un this situation so I took it upon myself to design a better display of the honor deserved. See below.  So here I am delivering the portrait. I can't wait to see it in its proper place after the dedication.  In February 25-26th I held a workshop "Paint Like a Master" for the Portrait Society of Atlanta at their spacious North Shallowford Road annex. I shared many examples from Rembrandt, Titian, Sargeant and Zorn, and compared how limited the palette range was for so many oftheir portraits. We then concentrated on how important values are in creatiing the illusion of realistic volume. I shared many lighting techniques as well as pointers on creating a likeness. The workshop was well recieved by all of the participants. Please see the review here from their publication, The FOLIO here: https://portraitsocietyofatlanta.org/paint-like-a-master-with-mike-wimmer/ With examples behind me, I share with the participants many examples of limited palette color schemes. I share the process of beginning the portrait of the Colonial Soldier, without any preliminary drawing, using only my measuring method to create a good likeness, concentrating first on proportions and value shapes. Since the workshop lasted two days, I was able to work with each participant individually to share advice and give feedback on color and value ranges, as well as any recomended adjustments to proportions. I was able to complete the portrait demonstration by the end of the second day, but brought it back to my studio to add any finishing refinements I thought necessary. About 2-weeks after the workshop each member shared their finished portrait with the grouiup via email and a Zoom meeting.  In one of the self portriats that I created for the workshop, I shared the Zorn Palette made up of the colors at top: White, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Light (Vermillion) and Ivory Black, and painted in the Alla Prima method. From start to finish, this demonstration took a total of 3 1/2 hours.  In another set of self portraits, using the same reference, I painted using a monochromatic underpainting, using White, Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber and Transparent Oxice Red. This is an analogous color scheme that works very well as an underpainting stage for later completion. It was at this stage that I shared my measurement technique on a seperate piece of paper and then transferred the drawing to the canvas surface. During this very quick underpainting stage, I lay in the shadows thinly and build up the paint thickness with thicker more opaque colors. The whites are painted thickly with a thick and stiff Underpainting White,  Here is one more self portrait demonstration, painted in the Alla Prima method, using another Limited Palette combination of White, Transparent Oxide Red and Prussian Blue. Limiting the Gamut Range automatically harmonizes the color scheme of your painting. The subtle greys and neutrals are derived by the mixing of complimentary colors in this case a blue and an orange, with white. Depending on how you swing the range, either cooler or warmer (oranger or bluer) your greys will adjust likewise. Another point of interest; notice how the portraits were created using value contrasts; Middle Value > Dark Value > Light Value > Dark Value, otherwise known as Chiaroscuro or Chiaro=bright or clear, Scuro=dark or obscure. 
|
AuthorMike Wimmer is a portrait artist Living, Teaching and Painting in Savannah, Georgia Archives
June 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed