LOCKDOWN PORTRAITS Part 1
- Art By Jamie
- Jan 28, 2022
- 2 min read
With the outbreak of Covid pandemic and the first national lockdown of 2020, I discovered some relief in taking part with in the interactive programme Portrait Artist of the Week competition by Sky Arts. Having regularly watched the Sky Arts series the Portrait Artist of the Year, I took the chance to take part (along with many artists both in the UK and artists world wide.)
The format of the programme was for 4 hours on a Sunday 10- 2pm, which was broadcast on facebook and then joined the Sky Arts channel for the last hour. Although I missed the first two episodes of series 1, I started following with the guest sitter Robert Rinder.
Robert Rinder Will Young Noel Fielding
Not having done such a painting with a ‘live model’ for a long time (although they were on screen !) – I was a bit apprehensive.
For the majority of the paintings I used stretch canvases 39.5 x 30cm - while many artists like to do preparatory sketches I prefer to launch into the final portrait. This could be because of a low boredom threshold!
Claire Balding Professor Green Mary Beard
Having used the medium of acrylics for some years in many of my paintings, this quick drying medium was also best option for me in the 4 hour limit of the sitting. The programme allowed extra time for completion of the portraits to the following Friday, although I tried to complete many of the pictures within the 4 hours, this helped in adding any final details.
I enjoyed completing each portrait I did and submitted these at the end of the week. Although I was not successful in being chosen as the Judges choice, I kept an eye on the 'wall' of portraits that were displayed on each programme. If any of these were displayed I did not see them!
I tried out something of an experiement with my painting of the singer/ rapper Stephen Manderson aka rapper Professor Green. I started with the Prof's tattoo ( which I beleive he had after a knife attack) I painted a side on view of his neck tattoo in the top left corner. Next I looked to add some movement in other angles of the Prof, 'pixalating' the main image to 'link' these in. As there is conversation going on between the sitter the artist and the three judges, I further added other sketched images to record the four event into the whole picture. Finally adding the Prof's dog in the bottom left corner!
Mary Beard, a scholar of Roman civilisation, was perhaps not surprisingly seated in front of a large bookcase. Instead of a simple background I gave an impression of these many books along with the bust of one of her Roman subjects, which was actually a cardboard cut out...
The Portrait Artist of the Week episode with Robert Rinder is available on facebook to watch again - please click on the following link:
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