Monday, May 5, 2008

Another Acrylic Portrait Commission





This is Alice. She has for many years worked to develop directions and programs for how we educate our children here in California. And for many years, I too have worked with her as an illustrator whose illustrations have appeared on many posters and text material (I include a sample here). She recently left her position with the County Offc. of Ed. to take on a new educational job. Her coworkers commissioned me to paint a portrait to present to Alice at her "retirement" dinner. So here she is at home with her dog (who came to work with her every day. I loose count of the number of times that I have had project meetings with Alice, other educators, and her dog).
What was challenging here was not only to paint a good likeness, but to render the table and tableware without having them distract from Alice and pal. I was provided with a small reference photo from Alice's coworkers.

6 comments:

Frank Gardner said...

Well done. I bet she's happy with it.
I think the tableware is done with just the right amount of detail. She and the dog are great. I don't even mind that her head is cropped. Seems so natural in this piece.

David Lobenberg said...

Thank you so much Frank. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your wonderful work on your blog.

Susan Carlin said...

WoweeZowee! I brought the portrait up in its largest version and pored over all the confident brushstrokes and hope I got a confidence transfusion in the process. Terrific.

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks Susan. You know what?,,,I do the same thing...I look at the paintings of some fantastic artists out there in the blogisphere and try to get that "confidence transfusion"! There is always a challenge to do better!

Anonymous said...

As a friend of Alice and Simon (her dog), thank you for this remembrance of them. Our office probably displays more Lobenberg art than any other place on the planet, and we love it.
Jan James

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks Jan James a.k.a Anonymous at S.C.O.E.!