I modeled this portrait after one created by Mary-Jane Ansell, which won her a BP Portrait Award. Swapped Susan’s face, into the original, and painted a master copy in a less photo-realistic style, emphasizing expressive brushwork and more chiaroscuro effects. Here are the original and my version side by side. I admire Ansell’s composition, lighting and patient attention to detail. I’ll need to work on that.
I paint very quickly and lack the talent, time and patience to achieve such detail. My portrait was a direct painting, completed in two three-hour sessions. Almost a “sketch” in oils. In my favor, I believe I am achieving a more “painterly” portrait, emphasizing rather than smoothing over and blending brush-strokes. Probably wouldn’t win a BP Portrait Award however.
