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Bart


Practising portraiture again

After feeling content and reassured about my portrait of Hettie, I was delighted to hear that Bart was also willing to sit for me as a model for a portrait study. It's not often that one is fortunate enough to have people willing to spend their precious time on something like modelling for portrait studies. 

This time, I had to try to arrange the setting and the pose of my model. I wanted the painting to tell a story that would differ from just being an image of a person. I was definitely keen on including Bart's hands to support this narrative. Bart bravely accepted and patiently endured the challenge, which led to a pleasant and relaxed session.

Although I am not entirely satisfied with the final result - I unexpectedly struggled with aspects such as likeness, foreshortening, and the colours and texture of background and clothing - I still found the exercise fulfilling. And again, I've learned a lot. I truly enjoyed painting the hands. And I am grateful that my sitter (along with others!) liked the finished piece. Thank you, Bart!

Bart. Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 cm. View the finished painting in my gallery.

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