The Guidi Siblings portrait commission

During what has been an unusual and challenging year for the world, I was lucky to be able to work on a family portrait commission of three outstanding young people; the Guidi siblings. The restrictions during 2020 meant socially distanced meetings and photography at different locations. In May 2021 it was a pleasure to finally deliver the portraits to a very appreciative and patient family.

The process as always starts with some thumbnail sketches to explore possible compositions for all three subjects prior to any photography. We had to meet at various locations as the family homes were in Bedfordshire and Hampshire. In addition to the Covid restrictions at the time we had to work around the weather to try and use similar lighting conditions.

I had decided to produce a series of pencil studies on toned paper to try out compositions for a triple portrait; as is often the case with me, the pencil drawing then takes on a life of its own and in the final event becomes a finished piece. These done on Mi-Tientes pastel paper with the finished drawing on PastelMat pastel paper. with two finished pieces I was able me to use a slightly different arrangement for the oil painting, which was a to be similar size. To be honest the subjects would have looked good in any arrangement but it is often the background which presents me with the most challenges; I decided on a simple atmospheric background for the oil painting and an outside coastal setting for the pencil drawing to reflect the family’s close relationship with the sea.

The commission took a few months to completed in delivered in May 2021. I don’t always have a pencil portrait to accompany each oil painting but in this case it made or a lie surprise during the unveiling; I got the impression they were pleased with the both results.

May 2021