elizabeth prillaman

the portrait process

see the process

hand painted, with love.

each portrait is different but some things always remain the same.

here are the 5 steps to creating a custom portrait.

1.

you need a subject!

2.

you will need a good photo. my wonderful friend Matt was able to capture some beautiful pictures of german shepherd Ana on a Canon EOS REBEL T5i.

3.

once the source photo is picked, begin with a sketch. in the sketch you become familiar with the contours of the face, the direction in which the hairs fall, and the shadows and highlights.

4.

next complete the background. for this portrait, the background is painted to capture the beautiful weather: the bright greens of the grass and cool browns of the earth. a hint of a purple gray sky in the background sets a backdrop that not only captures the day, but also accentuates Ana’s beautiful coloring.

5.

then comes blocking in the lights and darks of the panting. from there develop color and texture until you feel happy with the finished product. oils take a long time to dry, so work over areas deciding what is needed to create not just a true likeness, but also a true feeling.

hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about my process. to get in touch use the contact form below.

thanks for reading,

1.