Art Archives - Page 9 of 14 - Peter D'Alessandri Portrait and Figurative Artist

02/08/201914/02/2024

Commission a Nude Portrait

Me posing in front of two commissions and a self portrait. Leegate Open Studios 2018.

Following on from my recent post about commissioning a portrait, I thought I’d add a quick post about less conventional portraits. Over the years, I would say that the majority of enquiries I receive about commissioning a painting are for commissioning a nude portrait.

The two nude paintings in the photo above make an interesting case study. Both clients already had a good idea of how they wanted to be portrayed. Subject 1 (female sitter on left), was able to pose in their own home, and had few restrictions on their time. The first sitting was spent making sketches of various poses. In the second sitting I produced a more detailed pencil drawing, from which I was able to start the painting. There followed a few painting sessions, each lasting about three hours. In between I was able to work from a reference photo to bring the painting forward.

commissioned portrait of woman after breast mastectomy — woman sat on bed

Subject 2 (male model in centre, behind me) chose to pose in the studio. Because there was already agreement on what the pose would be, we were able to compress the whole preparatory process into one sitting. We started with preliminary drawings, constantly adjusting the lights, and then spent the rest of the sitting taking photos. At that stage I was happy that I had all the material I needed, and was able to complete the painting without further sittings.

I hope that sheds some light onto the process involved in commissioning an artwork. Exactly the same applies to a conventional portrait painting. I should add that if it’s not possible to arrange an in person sitting, I am able to work from photos supplied by the customer. In that situation I can give direction on the pose, background and lighting. If I am asked to work from old photos, I like to see a number of photos of the subject, to give me a better idea of what they look like, which gives me the option of swapping elements from different photos.

For more information look at Commission a Nude Portrait

If you have any questions about a possible commission, please get in touch via the email on the Contact page.

31/07/201927/12/2023

How to Commission a Portrait Painting

How do you commission a portrait?

Firstly, the most important thing is to find an artist whose work you like. I would suggest that factors such as the collectability and market value of an artist are less important when commissioning a portrait. You’re not looking for an investment, but instead want a sympathetic rendering of yourself or a loved one.
You don’t need to go through a gallery or agent. If the artist has a website with a contact form or email address, or has a social media profile, then they will almost certainly welcome enquiries about commissions. Otherwise they will have something like “contact *** gallery for information”.
Some artists may be happy to produce a painting from a photo you provide, but most serious portrait artists will want at least a short sitting, even if it’s just to work out the best pose for reference photos.

Art fairs and open studio events are a great way to discover new artists.

Once you start searching, you’ll probably be surprised by the wealth of artistic talent that’s hidden nearby. Open studio events, group shows, regional art competitions and art fairs are a great way to find local artists…., and of course, there’s always Instagram.
Once you have a shortlist of artists that you might want to approach, you will have to give some thought to the type of portrait that you are looking for. Price will depend partly on size, but also complexity. For instance, two figures will take longer to paint than a single figure, and a plain background will be easier to paint than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Harsh lighting can add character to a portrait. Female portraits have traditionally employed softer lighting.

The lighting and setting will depend on the subject. Harsh, directional lighting might add character while softer, flatter lighting is generally considered more flattering.

Props and setting can say a lot about the sitter.

So you’ve decided that you want to commission a portrait. What do you want this painting to say about the sitter? Historically artists would include props to indicate the trade or position of the subject, but in present times people would probably not choose to be defined by their job, but would instead prefer to emphasize some other skills or attributes.

It’s quite popular to have a family group portrait, but bear in mind that for most artists it will add to the cost – two figures takes longer to paint than a single figure. And of course the chosen size of the painting will affect the price.

Artist are very often the targets for online scams. I receive far more phoney emails than I do legitimate enquiries. If you do choose to contact an artist about commissioning an artwork, it might help to include your contact details, or a link to your social media profile, just to help persuade the artist that you’re genuine.

28/02/201928/02/2019

Love Stories

I’ll be showing a couple of my Relationships Series paintings at this show. “Love Stories” is hosted by Art Number 23 at their gallery space in the Old Biscuit Factory, Block F, Floor 1 studio 1, SE16 4DG.

“An amazing collection of artworks about relationships and love!”
Private view is on Thursday 7th March, 6-9pm. Admission free, No RSVP needed.

23/01/201923/01/2019

Missing in Moscow

This is the poster I shared on social media, when my painting “Michael” went missing on its return from a show in Moscow. My painting, along with over a dozen others, were being shipped back to London, to the co-organisers of the event here. Somewhere enroute, the box containing all the artworks was damaged, half the artworks were reboxed, given a new tracking number, and found their way successfully to London. The remaining artworks have disappeared into some limbo between the Russian and British courier companies. Each side is blaming the other, with neither accepting liability. All the time treating the lost “items” with about as much sympathy as they would deal with a lost book or DVD.
With my painting now lost to me, part of me hopes that it has been stolen, and is hanging on someone’s wall, giving them pleasure. The terrible truth is that it has most likely been mashed up by a clumsy forklift driver, and thrown in the bin like it was a dirty pair of socks.

15/01/2019

Nude or Fully Clothed

The opening night of “Nude or Fully Clothed” at Nude Tin Can Gallery in St Albans went very well. Very pleased to make a sale, which always puts me in a good mood. But also it was such a well organised event (busy, but not overly crowded), that the whole evening shot by, with plenty of interesting conversations.
I should add that the journey to St Albans was surprisingly easy – less than 30mins on Thameslink from St Pancras. The exhibition continues until the 29th January, and is well worth a visit.