ELISE IPPOLITO
and
For example:
HEIRLOOM FINE ART
PAINTINGS
In the top example, I visited the clients at their home on Indian Shores beach and photographed them there. In the second example, with the Achilles children, I took photographs of their South Tampa home, and did a separate session at my studio. In both cases, you can see that I typically combine elements from different photographs to get my final composition. I may do a color study as well, though the colors that I see are not always the colors that I use: I'll play with coloring to get the effect I want. I then do my painting, in my studio, from observation of these source photos and sketches.
There are occasions when it isn't possible to meet the subject in person: the portrait is of a loved one who has passed away; the portrait is commissioned by a magazine for a planned photo spread; the portrait is to be a surprise gift. Those are the cases, respectively, for the three portrait series below, which were each painted entirely from one photo (plus a little imagination).
You've seen my work, and I may have made a sketch or mini-portrait for you. Your contract's signed, and you're officially commissioning a portrait in oil or pastel. Congratulations!! This is a once in a lifetime experience for many people, never to be had at all by most.
What happens next? You may already have a photo in mind from which you'd like me to draw, but if possible, I prefer to visit you and create my own source photos and sketches.
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THE EXPERIENCE
OF COMMISSIONING
A FINE ART PORTRAIT BY ELISE IPPOLITO
How should the subject dress? What colors?
You can go casual or more formal: what's the right fit, both for your family's personality, and for the room where the picture will hang? Remember that your portrait is an heirloom, meant to be passed down through generations. You, not the garment, should be the star.
Light-colored clothing has a beautiful way of reflecting the colors around it. But a black garment can make a gorgeous statement, too. "Madame X" by John Singer Sargent comes to mind. Black absorbs all colors, so that the focus is more entirely on the face. Anything with a metallic, sparkly, crystal-like or pearlescent sheen is excellent and will add to the "trompe de l'oeil" effect ("tricking the eye" into seeing the canvas as a three-dimensional illusion).
Where and when? Best locations and times of day?
A beautiful place that holds sentimental value to you and/or the subject is ideal. If there is no location that fits that bill and you don't know where to choose, I'll be happy to recommend some locations. If indoors, I prefer a room with ample sunlight streaming into it. If outdoors, the couple of hours just after sunrise and just before sunset make for the prettiest atmosphere.
Does lighting really matter?
YES!! But not in the way you may expect. What makes a painted portrait beautiful is NOT the same as what makes a photograph beautiful. Consider the portraits on this page: you can see that some contain a greater contrast of shadow and light on the face, giving a more painterly look, and others less so, with a more photographic style. Neither method is absolutely right or wrong. The more light in the subject's eyes, the more he/she will squint, but the gradation of light across the face is fantastic and will make it "pop off the page." Light and shadow are what give objects shape and make them pop. If there is no shadow at all in the face (often the goal in flattering photography), the end result has a more flat, two-dimensional look, but the eyes (aka, the soul!) may be more accessible. I try to find a balance between the two.
How long will it take for the portrait to be completed?
I work slowly and carefully, and only for a few hours each day, when the lighting is right. In rare cases, I've been able to complete a large (full-person or multi-person) portrait in less than six months. On the other hand, I've had one portrait that took more than two years, partly due to scheduling difficulties with the subject being away at college and partly due to my having just had a baby and adjusting to motherhood. I'd say that a one-year turn-around is probable.
Can I be sure I will be happy with the result?
Yes! A portrait is a collaboration between artist and subject. While clients rarely have the time or inclination for lengthy sitting sessions (which grant lots of conversation), my client's opinion always remains vital. Your approve of the composition is a prerequisite before I can begin painting, and I reserve a day at the end for making any small adjustments needed. The painting isn't finished until both you and I are happy with it.
HINTS AND TIPS
A portrait affirms; it gives the gift of self to its subject. It says, 'Yes, you are worth spending this time over, your story deserves to be told, you should be recorded, for you will not pass this way again.'
- David Goatley
