He's Back!

Nando got a new face lift, or at least I started giving him one a while back, and now he's looking better. Three attempts were made at this portrait with this being the best of them. Not so long ago I feared that I would have to begin from scratch again, but I was not giving up yet. Mostly since I'm using an Artfix oil primed linen which is a very expensive little piece of material. And during hard times like ours I just couldn't let it go to waist. Sometimes the size is all wrong and no matter how or what you try to fit in the space the painting will always have ways of letting you know it won't work. On the previous attempt I could not fit him in the space, and so it was back to the drawing board and figure out a better size. This time I chose a longer frame which seems to be working better.

I spent long hours the last couple of days trying to bring the painting back to life and all of the sudden things started to click. It all became clear and at that moment it was easy not to turn back. After working with a light blue color in the background I started seeing a sky which led to the idea of a landscape. From there on the concept grew to make this painting a little more personal to my friend Nando, who, when the picture is finished, will recognize the landscape behind him.