A Family Portrait - Mr. Rebry

These pictures represent quite a few hours of work but at a glance they don't seem to change much and it's a bit like a game of spot-the-difference. Firstly you may have spotted the addition of pinstripes from the previous blog entry. These were painted with a fine rigger. I mixed a good quantity of mid-grey to ensure the pinstripe colour stayed consistant across the suit but lightly sketched each stripe with a pencil before committing paint to canvas. This was essential to get right as each stripe would have to follow the contours of the fabric, any misplaced lines would essentially change the shape of the jacket. Next I painted the shadows and highlights on the jacket over the top of the pinstripes. In some places I repainted the pinstripes and in some shadow areas I let them fade out. Then my attention turned back to the hands and face, carefully adding tonal values and details like the creases in the skin, individual hairs and the twinkle in his eye! This portrait is now ready to take pride of place in a  family home in Belgium.