Commissioned oil portraits built in the tradition of the Old Masters — underpainted, glazed in layers, and made to last generations. Not a copy of a photograph, but an heirloom in its own right.
Reaching Light — oil on canvas, 20x24in
Study in Shadow — oil on linen, 18x24in
The Kerchief — oil on panel, 16x20in
Girl with a Pear — oil on linen, 20x24in
Backward Glance — oil on canvas, 16x16in
Study in Ochre — oil on canvas, 18x18in
The Method
Every portrait moves through six layers built up over roughly two months: the canvas is primed, a careful pencil drawing establishes the likeness, a diluted underpainting blocks in the shadow shapes, a grisaille resolves value and light, then two full-color painting stages — big-shape modeling, then fine detail — bring it to life. The result isn't a copy of a photograph — it's an heirloom object, painted by hand to outlast it.
Each portrait moves through six layers, Old Masters style — priming, a drawing, a monochrome underpainting, a grisaille to resolve value, then two full-color painting stages that bring it to completion. Oil paint needs days to cure between each layer; rushing it is how likenesses go flat and color goes muddy. Two months is the time the paint itself needs, not just the painting.
Do you paint from photos?
Yes — every portrait is painted entirely from a curated set of reference photographs, refined together during a short consultation. No studio visits or live sessions required.
What is included in the price?
A finished oil painting on artist grade canvas, linen, or panel, one round of revisions to the preliminary sketch, and progress photos as the piece develops.
Can more than one person be in the painting?
Yes — couples and family groups are welcome. Pricing and lead time reflect the added complexity of multiple figures.
