Monday, January 15, 2007

DIGITAL COLOR RENDITIONS - What is it?

"Digital Color Renditions" is a name I came up with to describe a new medium for portraiture. Each piece is created using the same process as the pencil portraits. They start with a photograph, but instead of drawing on a piece of paper I am drawing on a tablet (like a computerized sketchbook). The work shows up on my computer screen as opposed to the tablet. Contrary to popular belief there is no part of any photograph in the image. Each piece is hand drawn/painted on the tablet using the photo for reference using the same process as my pencil work. They are then printed out using the latest archival ink jet methods. After years of using the tablet professionally for product design, it was a natural medium for my initial greeting card designs. After seeing one of my card designs a client asked if their portrait could be created in this medium? Hence the creation of "Digital Color Renditions."

Please view the process below.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Creating a Digital Color Rendition

All commissions start with a photo to be used for reference. For this commission I combined two photos.

The customer was torn between the two, so I combined them to achieve the look she wanted to capture. Please click on images to enlarge.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Stage One


Once a photo has been selected the process may begin. It starts the same way a traditional oil painting is done - with the background first.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Stage Two


More background painting...

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Stage Three


I am starting to add the outline and definition of the horse over the background...

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Stage Four


More detail is added to the horse and background...

Monday, January 08, 2007

Stage Five


More refined detail is added in the eye area, legs, musculature and some highlights...

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Stage Six - Final Portrait

The final stages of precise details are added to the horse and background to complete the work.

Please click on image to view.