Painting The Artist Blacksmith – The Process

Painting The Artist Blacksmith – The Process

I’ve had this exciting portrait painting project in mind for a long time now.  A painting of my Father ‘The Artist Blacksmith’. Working by the forge with the soft glow from the fire dancing around the room.

 
First thing, to get started, is to see if my idea will work. So, I set up my small landscape painting easel in the workshop for a day.  The idea is to make a few sketches whilst my dad works at the forge

A portrait painting is normally done under natural light, so with the forge light it became more of a portrait/scene painting. (Rather than the focus falling on the portrait) With the firelight of the forge dancing around the room, things are lit in a slightly different way each time.  It becomes a process of selecting your favourite moments.  If your patient this variety is great and you can pick and choose the best of what you see.  After painting a few sketches I had decided on a composition that I wish to develop further A large canvas which is 135cm x 170cm.

During painting Gwyn Cole, a local storyteller and film maker came over to start shooting for an interesting project he’s working on over the next month.  Filming my life as artist and making a short 10 minute film as the final production. You can see Gwyn’s really high quality work at stillriverfilms.com or follow him on instagram @gywncole

Watch the ‘News’ for updates and also the finished painting and Follow my instagram account for more behind the scenes photos from the studio plus works in progress.