First commission: Checkmate (portrait of my brother)

 

The portrait of Frank Auerbach seemed to have generated quite a lot of interest and positive comments, and with them came (it was back in November 2014) the first request for a commissioned portrait. This is how this piece, which on a suggestion from a friend of mine (another artist) I eventually called Checkmate, was born. 

 

I was supplied with a reference photograph and after discussing a few details (size, medium, support, etc...) with my brother, I went ahead and started painting the portrait.

 

I applied similar techniques to the first portrait, but this time the support was different, this was to be the first portrait on paper (I chose Hot Pressed watercolor paper), which lent itself really well to the job at hand.

There were a few stages where I really thought I had lost it, but then I was happy with the final result and so was my brother, the commissioner!

 

So here it is, my first commission: "Checkmate, portrait of my brother" on HP watercolor paper, 1/4 imp. size (38 x 28 cm).

 

In the first picture the finished work and in the other one the painting framed by my brother.

 

Hope you like the portrait!

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