Tell Me Something............Anything!

[walpurgis]

Welcome back Geoff

Ta mate!

[walpurgis]

Good to see you back again Geoff.

Thanks Steve.

[walpurgis]

I've been watching the re-runs of 'Portrait Artist of The Year' on Sky Arts channel.

I quite enjoy it, but most of the painters seem to work from photos of the sitter taken with mobile phones.

As a reasonable painter in my younger years, to me, that's not proper art. It seems more like transcription of an image and more akin to draftsmanship. I'm not suggesting it shouldn't be done, but I just don't see it as real portraiture.

Anybody have views?

[Barry]

I would imagine portraiture to be the most difficult to do for an artist. To do it from life usually takes several sessions, so as not to tire the sitter. Whereas if a photo is taken of the sitter the painting can be done in less time, yet still allow the artist to put his style on the painting.

I never tried portraiture, but I did win a few drawing certificates at school.

[Barry]

No comment? Do you have a favourite portraitist? I think my favourite is Lucian Freud - simply for his no nonsense 'warts and all' style.

[Macca]

I like Vermeer.

[walpurgis]

Velasquez painted faces that seemed almost alive.

I might have another bash at painting sometime, but it'll probably be 'impressionist' in interpretation unless I wear my specs .

[walpurgis]

I like Vermeer.

I do too.

[Barry]

I like Vermeer.

I certainly like his 'informal' portraits of women going about their domestic duties, rather than commissioned portraits of sitters.

[Marco]

I'm not really into portraits of people, so I'll stick with Louis Wain

Marco.