Cheeky Chap Poses for Portrait

This cheeky little chap is the result of a recent portrait commission.

The cheeky little mouth turn almost contradicts the innocence of the glasses.

Each portrait commission from www.DrawMe.com.au is produced to exceptionally high standard and exquisite detail.

If you are thinking about having a portrait painted then all I require is a high resolution image to work from.

Each commission is produced to exacting standards and is all HAND PAINTED.  These are not manipulated photos.

The painting starts as a light sketch before layers of shading are added in greyscale.

Colour is then added along with increasing levels of detail in order to capture an exceptional likeness.

Each portrait commission takes anywhere from 10 hours to 40+ hours to complete depending on the level of complexity and any background elements required.

If you are looking for a truly magical gift to capture your children, friends, family, or even yourself at a particular moment in your life then there is no better way than a portrait.

Order your portrait today from www.DrawMe.com.au/portraits.php and be amazed by the level of service and blown away by the incredible portrait commission.  Be prepared to say 'wow'.

Portraits of Children

I am always receiving requests to produce portraits of children over at DrawMe.com.au/portraits.php.  One thing I do not think many people realise is that my work is produced by hand from scratch.  My portraits are not computer manipulations of photos.

I believe my portrait (and caricature work) is different from other artists as I pay incredible attention to detail in the likeness.  I am passionate about what I do and what I produce.  Each piece of artwork is a reflection of me and my standards.  I always want to achieve the most visually stunning piece of work I possibly can with my portraits.

Each portrait starts off as a basic sketch outline before layers upon layers of greyscale shading are added.

Smoothing of the greyscale then takes place to achieve a beautiful likeness of the face.

Each portrait is meticulously hand painted to incredible levels of likeness.

Many hours are spent achieving this likeness and, at each stage of production, I provide an opportunity for you to see the stages of development.

Some customers even request a video of the portrait being painted.

Once the greyscale layering had been completed it is on to the finer details in the eyes and mouth.

The eyes are such an incredibly important part of a portrait.  They tend to capture a lifelike character and really connect with the viewer.

Next it is on to the hair and hours of work producing those fine strands and beautiful highlights.

It is at this stage that the portrait has really come to life and there are only a few more stages left.

Colouring and texturing can be added as in the above example although quite a lot of customers do ask for black and white portraits.

Once the artwork has been completed it is off for final inspection and printing to archival standards.  There are many options you can select when it comes to size and finish so please just contact me via my website at DrawMe.com.au/portraits.php

Please head on over to my site now and view other samples of portrait work.

Speed Painting Avril Lavigne

I have just uploaded an updated (faster) video of my speed painting of Avril Lavigne.

You can view it now via this link: Speed Painting Avril Lavigne

Although the painting process took a couple of hours the video only last a couple of minutes.  So, you get to see the complete painting process in super-fast time!

This speed painting is only a quick painting of Avril Lavigne and is not to the level of detail I would produce my high definition portraits.  Indeed, there would be quite a lot of work still left to do on this portrait to get it to what I usually class as a decent level of likeness.

I have only created this quick portrait in black and white and have not gone for a full colour due to time constraints.  I have not added any texturing to the face or any smaller details.  This is, in effect, a very quick painting!

If you would like to order your own portrait then visit www.DrawMe.com.au for more details or contact me.

I am always looking for 'models' to have their portraits drawn for free so please feel free to get in touch.  Basically I need a good photo of ANYONE who is willing to be painted and feature in an educational video.  I only need your photo...no other posing or commitment required.

How to draw an ear

When drawing portraits my work goes through many stages of development.  Producing high definition portraits can take many hours of work.

In this blog entry I show you the various stages of producing a simple ear.  Note that this is NOT high definition and my portrait work would be to much greater detail.

I have assumed you understand how to use Photoshop and layers, brushes etc.  If you are a complete novice then you may still find this tutorial useful.  If you would like to see a tutorial for complete beginners then please feel free to contact me via my website at www.DrawMe.com.au or leave a comment at the end of the tutorial and I will get back to you.

You can click on each of the images below to see a larger version.

STEP 1
The first thing to do is to produce an outline sketch of an ear.  Many artists use a source image but I find that I do not need to do this anymore.  If you are just a beginner then I would recommend finding a good source image and using it as the basis of your painting.

There are various methods available to help you get the image proportions correct.  You could simply trace over the source image (I don't think this will help you long term but it is a start).  Another method is to divide the image into a grid and draw what you see in each square.  Most drawing programs come with a grid option so it should be fairly easy to set up.

No matter which method you use just be patient and ensure you get this very important stage correct.

This stage is all about proportions.  Your drawing will probably look like a child has drawn it...that's OK.

STEP 2
I usually like to add a base colour and as you can see I have chosen a mid-tone grey colour.

I also increased the contrast on my line sketch so that I could see it above the base colour.

This simple drawing of the ear will not require many layers but it is a good idea to become comfortable with your drawing layers.

My sketch layer always sits on top and is locked.

STEP 3
I now lay down some block shading colours.

This is very similar to the underpainting stage when painting in oils on canvas.

All I am doing is identifying the dark and light regions and shading them accordingly.

I use a hard brush and 100% opacity to start and then switch to a softer brush.

The ear should now look as if it is starting to take some form although it will still look very rough.

Do not be discouraged at this stage if it looks as if your 5 year old daughter can draw better than you...it will soon come together!

STEP 4
During this stage I reduce the opacity and flow of my brush and just start to define some more areas of the ear by selecting more grey tones between the shadows and highlights.

I have also added some shading around the ear just to make it look as if it is on the side of a face.

Again, the image will still look extremely rough.

At this stage I have 3 layers:

 - my background layer
 - my shading layer
 - my sketch layer

STEP 5
I have now hidden my sketch layer as I have enough definition of the ear from the first few steps so see a clearly defined ear.

Some artists will leave their sketch layer and some will even merge it into their shading layer and paint over it.

Since I am only producing a simple ear and I am not worried about its likeness to a client's ear I just removed the sketch layer.

STEPS 6 - 9
Over the next hour or so (it all depends on the quality you want) it is time to start refining the shading and definition of the ear.

I tend to use a soft brush with a low opacity and flow.  The settings will vary depending on how much of a blend between shades I require.

This process can be quite time consuming, especially if you want quite a smooth blend between the various shades you have used.

Some artists like to see the brush strokes in their work but I add texturing in later stages so I prefer to work on the painting until it is fairly smooth and has been blended to a good standard.

Since this is just an example tutorial I have only spent about 15 minutes on it.

STEP 10
This is reaching a stage of fairly good blending between the shades and I am happy enough to stop here.

If this was for a full HD portrait for a client then I would be continuing with the blending and softening of the transitions between the shading.

Once you are happy with you ear then move on to the next step which is colouring.

STEP 11
The colouring process is extremely simple now that the shading has been completed.

Add a new layer on top of your shading layer and set the blend mode to colour.

Now select a suitable skin colour to use as the base layer and begin to colour.

STEP 12
The next few stages involve adding depth to the colour.

Add a new layer and set the blend mode to multiply.  Now paint over the areas of the ear you want to have a deeper colour.

Add a new layer and set the blend mode to overlay and add some highlight areas.

Feel free to keep adding more layers until you are happy.

Adjust the opacity of the layers as required.

STEP 13
I have added a few small blood vessels running through the ear.  You may need to click on the image to the left to see these fine details.

I added a new layer on the top and selected a hard 1 pixel brush with a deep red colour and painted in the fine details.

Adjust the opacity of your brush or the layer or even erase with a soft eraser if you add too many or if they are too obvious.

STEP 14
I then added a few fine hairs.

Add a new layer and select a hard brush with an off-white colour and begin to paint in your fine hairs.

You may need to adjust the brush settings or use a soft eraser with low opacity to remove a few of the more obvious hairs.

FINISHED EAR
I have not painted this ear in much detail and have completed it fairly quickly and with no client reference.  I also added a quick bit of hair and skin texture to the face but not in any usual detail.

My High Definition Portraits are completed to a much higher level of detail but, for the sake of this tutorial, I have kept the process fairly simple.

Please feel free to contact me via my website at www.DrawMe.com.au or leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

Your Portrait Painted FREE

Would you like your portrait drawn for FREE?

I am looking for volunteers to provide a high quality photo to be used to demo the portrait drawing techniques I use.  Simply contact me via www.DrawMe.com.au or my Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/drawme.com.au if you are interested.

This is a truly unique opportunity to have your portrait painted in high definition by a respected artist and award-winning teacher.


PHOTO QUALITY

If you are one of the lucky people selected your photo will be used as I record my high definition portrait painting technique for an educational video for aspiring artists.

The photo you send must be of high quality as I will be using it to demonstrate a high definition portrait painting technique.  This technique shows every detail being drawn to incredible detail.  The actual finished portrait is often mistaken for a photo it is so detailed.

The photo must have been taken with a digital camera in good lighting conditions (preferably no amateur flash), well focussed, good expression etc.

Send the photo(s) to me as an email attachment to my email address.  You can also contact me via my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/drawme.com.au


THE VIDEO

I will be using the selected photo(s) to paint a high definition portrait while capturing each painting stroke in real time on video.

The video will be made available online and/or through DVD for educational and promotional purposes.  This will include use in the classroom to show students how to use Photoshop to paint portraits.

The video will be available as a series of 'lessons' and your photo will probably feature in all aspects of the video.

A copy of the video will be made available to you if you wish although you may prefer a speed painting version of the video.  This is where I will take the video and speed it up so that the hours of footage becomes a few minutes.

You will be sent a high resolution digital copy of the completed portrait so that you may print as many copies as you wish, have it mounted onto canvas etc.


CONTACT ME

If you are interested in taking part in this project then please contact me via my website at www.DrawMe.com.au or my Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/drawme.com.au.

Once I receive all photos a few checks on quality will be made before those selected are notified.

Please note that the photo will be used for a high definition portrait not a caricature.

Speed Painting by Patrick Morrow

Speed Painting: there are a few definitions of this kind of art on the internet but the one commonly associated with speed painting is where an image is drawn and all strokes are captured with a video camera or screen capture utility.

The video is then accelerated to many times its normal speed so that hours of footage can be watched in just a few minutes.

My Whoopi Goldberg portrait speed painting is an example of this process.  You can watch it below or click on this link.

The actual painting process took me about 3 hours and it was enjoyable to begin with.  The black on the habit was a bit tedious as there was not much variation.

It's amazing how quickly the likeness comes together when painting these portraits.  Within a minute or so of watching the video you can immediately tell who it is supposed to be.

All my work is recorded directly from my iMac using QuickTime Player and then imported into iMovie and/or Premiere for some video acceleration.

During 2013 I hope to produce more speed painting videos.  If you would like to be the star of a speed painting video then contact me via my website at www.DrawMe.com.au.

Yes, you could be starring in a YouTube speed painting video.  All I require is a good quality photo to work from.

Feel free to tell your friends and pass this limited time special offer on to them.

One winner will be selected to be the star.

Whoopi Goldberg Portrait

I produced a painting of Whoopi Goldberg a while ago.

I decided to paint a black and white portrait and wanted a suitable subject...what better than a nun...and what better nun than Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act.

The painting took me a little over 2 hours and I videod the whole thing for you to watch. Don't worry...it's not 2 hours long...only just over 5 minutes. (see end of page for video)

After I completed the painting I decided to see what it would be like in colour and have included the image on the left.

If you would like to order your own portrait then feel free to contact me or visit the portrait order page for further details.

Enjoy watching the video. I would love to know what you think.

If you want your own favourite celebrity drawn and uploaded to YouTube then let me know who you would like drawn and I'll see what I can do.

If you are interested in obtaining a print of the Whoopi Goldberg portrait then please contact me.

You can watch the Whoopi Goldberg speed painting video below. Remember to comment.

I also have other famous celebrity speed painting videos on my YouTube channel.

Friends - Quick Portrait

This Friends quick portrait was completed in a couple of hours and shows the cast of 6 together.

Portraits are one of the many options available from talented and renowned artist Patrick Morrow over at www.DrawMe.com.au.

From quick portraits and caricatures to special commissioned hyper-realistic portraits, Patrick has a unique ability to capture a stunning likeness.

All that is required is a photo and a description for the background and Patrick will deliver a totally unique and stunning piece of art that will grace any wall for years to come.

Although the quick portraits only take a few hours, Patrick's hyper-realistic portraits can take over 40 hours to complete and are truly incredible.

Commissioned works can be completed at any size from a small 6" x 4" all the way to several metres in length.

Portraits by Patrick Morrow

Patrick Morrow has quickly developed a reputation as a top-quality portrait artist with his astounding attention to detail and the jaw-dropping likeness captured in his artwork.

What makes Patrick such an enigma is that he is not a trained artist but it is obvious that he has an exceptional gift.

Perhaps this is why some of the biggest companies in the world have sought his unique talent and he has already produced artwork for the likes of Qantas, Smiths, Sanitarium, Channel 4, Manchester Airport, Arnotts, Ernst & Young, Budweiser, Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber, and countless others.

Patrick is currently expanding his work to that of hyper-realism, a genre of painting that resembles a high-resolution photograph.  His work in this area is already astonishing!

It is surprising to most that Patrick has only been painting portraits for a few years.  This developed from his caricature business in Australia (www.drawme.com.au).  However, this has not hampered the development of his creativity and growth of his business and fan-base   

It has been reported that smaller samples of his portrait and hyper-realism work are now selling for $1000+ with larger commissioned artworks now commanding $10,000+

Patrick is a gentle and reserved guy, passionate about his work, with a commitment to his customers.  It is no surprise that Patrick regularly turns down large corporate works in order to focus on his 'everyday' customers, refusing to allow the corporate dollar to jump to the front of the queue.

In 2013 Patrick will be commencing work on a large hyper-realism piece.  Having delayed the start for over a year and with an estimated 18 to 24 months to complete the work this will be his biggest challenge to date.

Stay tuned for updates!

Why did you start drawing portraits?

My caricatures and portraits are quite a hit with everyone.  From drawing a bikey granny riding a Harley to a skydiving baby, I've drawn it all.

The nice thing about my caricatures is that they do not offend.  The amazing likeness I achieve in my portraits and caricatures astounds many of my clients.  I know that many visitors to my exhibition at Eumundi have had a hard time believing that the portraits are actually hand drawn.  I've had to video myself drawing just to show how I obtain my stunning results.

A surprise to many (especially those I speak to in person) is that my background is not as an artist.  I did not attend art school, I did not study art at university, nor did I study art in any other traditional sense.  I really don't know the first thing about the 'proper' way to draw and I am sure I probably break many traditional 'rules'.  All I know is that, for whatever reason, I can draw.

I am a very creative person and love attention to detail.  It is probably for these reasons that my caricatures and portraits are so highly regarded.

My portrait work started fairly recently.  I was receiving requests from many of my corporate caricature customers to draw portraits of their executives...you know the sort of thing...the traditional painted portrait that hangs in the boardroom.  I had never drawn or painted in this format before but knew that, to me, it was only an extension of what I was already doing with the caricatures...but with a lot more detail.

When I look at a photo of a person to be drawn I do not see the eyes, the beard, the nose....I see a series of lines, dots, and other marks on a canvas.  This means that what others see as an impossible task I see as a sequence of smaller tasks which contain strokes of different colours, thicknesses, opacities etc.

When I start a portrait I like to start with a black background and draw with a very light white pencil stroke.  Once the outline is completed and I am happy with the proportions I then invert the colours; my background is now white and my pencil black.

The next stage is shading.  Layer upon layer of shading, starting with fairly blocky and rough shading and gradually moving to smaller and smaller brushes with lighter and lighter effects.

I love to get the eyes drawn fairly early.  It's at this point I know if I am heading in the right direction.  As the saying goes: "the eyes are the windows to the soul"...and the eyes have a massive impact on any portrait.

The rest of the main facial features are then worked on until I have a fairly good likeness.  I layer on some rough hair to give myself a better idea of how things are working together.

From this point on it's fairly much all about the details.  Hours of brush work on the finer details, building up the amazing likeness I am renowned for.

A typical portrait can take me around 40 hours to complete.  However, it's fair to say that after about 2 to 3 hours I have a fairly good likeness.  Just have a look at my Whoopi Goldberg video on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRPASmRenME 

This quick portrait took about 2 to 3 hours.  My portrait commissions have an incredible amount of detail but start off in pretty much the same way as the Whoopi Goldberg portrait.

Although my work is usually finished in many formats including print, canvas, mounted, framed etc I do find that a large canvas print is stunning and looks great on any wall.  I have a couple of black and white portraits hanging on my own walls at home...one of which is Marilyn Monroe which I painted for a friend about a year ago.  View it here: Marilyn Monroe on Canvas

If you are looking for a caricature or wish to commission a portrait then please get in touch via the website at www.drawme.com.au

How to paint a portrait

Yesterday I showed you how I paint my caricatures. Today I show you how I paint my portraits.

The video above is a very quick 'sketch' rather than one of my more detailed paintings. My detailed portraits can take up to 40 hours or more to complete. Every hair is painstakingly painted by hand...there are absolutely no photo manipulations, scans, trickery...all my work is produced by hand!

I usually start painting a portrait with a black (or dark grey) background and white outline. I find this easier to work with than having a black outline. It's therefore strange that I prefer a black outline on my caricature work! However, the two styles are very different so it is only right that I have a different approach to each.

After the initial outline I will redefine the outline and smooth it out a little. At this stage the portrait is still a very rough sketch.

I prefer to work in B&W (greyscale) and build up layer after layer of shading. I use a soft brush with fairly light strokes, ensuring I blend the various shades.

The next stage is to add some details to the face i.e. the eyes, mouth, nose etc.

The eyes of the portrait are extremely important and I find myself revisiting this are of the painting over and over again.

Once the majority of the facial detail has been completed I will smooth out the initial outlines...often erasing them totally or blending them into the face.

Once the black and white base shading is completed it is time to start adding colour to the portrait. The video above does not show this stage but it is fairly quick as the majority of the painting is completed during the black and white stage.

If you would like to commission your own caricature or portrait then please feel free to contact me or visit my website at www.drawme.com.au.

My work is receiving international recognition with many of the top companies seeking my work.

Below are just a few of the 1000s of pieces of art I have completed.

MARILYN MONROE

I have always wanted to complete a portrait of Marilyn and managed to get this one finished a couple of months ago.

Here it is hanging in one of my rooms at room.

ROBERT PATTINSON

With the latest release of the Twilight movies I thought it only fitting that I complete a portrait of one of the cast.

This portrait has received a lot of recognition on various sites including a coveted 'Featured Portrait of the Month' award.

You can view the portrait at the world famous Eumundi Market every Saturday.

Hand Painted Portrait

If you are after something totally unique then a hand painted portrait is the way to go this Christmas.

All I need is a photo of the person to be painted and I will then turn it into a portrait.

Special techniques can be applied to the painting to turn it into the portrait bust you see on the left.

I can turn old photos into modern day masterpieces which can be produced as a framed print or onto canvas.

These hand painted portraits make ideal Christmas gifts as they are totally unique and tell the receiver that you actually thought of something other than the pair of socks!!

Order your very own hand painted portrait today.

The Quiet Man

One of my favourite films is The Quiet Man so I just had to paint a scene from the film.

The film tells the story of retired boxer Sean Thornton (John Wayne) who returns to his place of birth, Innisfree in Ireland, for a quiet life.

While returning to his old home he comes across the beautiful Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara) and a comedic courtship follows.

The Quiet Man is renowned for its comedic fight scene where Thornton and his brother-in-law fight over the wedding dowry.

This classic film has been captured in this stunning hand painted scene which is now available on canvas. Order your very own canvas from The Quiet Man today.