Elegant (XL) (Patreon)

Here’s something I did as a test for myself to see if I should accept a specific commission or not. It involved making portraits of an actress in erotic situations multiple times. 

Sometimes that is no problem but I saw something in her that made me think it could not be done quick enough to match any budget. Even though I can paint practically anyone, some have too subtle features to do it spontaneous.
Some require studying for a while, to get familiar with all features, to be able to make spontaneous and natural looking, expressive, portraits that don’t look out of place.

I can’t just copy her face from a photo because those were all posed neatly and would look weird in candid situations, apart from the fact that it’s not my thing to copy anything made by others (one of the reasons I don’t paint tattoos). 

I do that only when it’s required by a client, or when a photo’s practically perfect and, more importantly, made by myself.
My hunch was right. It took me a full day to get it right and it wasn’t even that complex a picture to start with.
That means a serious series with much more than her in most pictures would take months and that’s not something many have the budget for. 

Even though it did cost me a day, it wasn’t a waste. With a different face (and adding clothes of course) it’s a pretty pinup that doesn’t look like anybody I know, and that’s never a waste of time. Right? 😁