text: This is the first time David Eichenberg has exhibited work in the BP Portrait Award. Yet again we have an internet connection to the entry: David found out about the award via Facebook, looked it up on the Internet and then talked it over with Mary Jane Ansell who encouraged him to submit his work. (Mary Jane also has work in the exhibition this year)
  
  The portrait of Timothy A Stover, a sculptor who has a studio below David's, represents a point in time. Every day, on the way to his studio, David passes Tim and every day, Tim looks up at him with exactly the same expression on his face - as he has in the portrait.
  
  We discussed his approach to the physical creation of portraits. He enjoys studying portraits by artists from the past and is a big fan of Holbein's portraits. Thus, as with Holbein portraits, the portrait of Tim includes various symbolic motifs - such as the shape on the wall which is the outline of the state of Ohio. There's also a connection to GI Joe and the USA's response to terrorism in the cobra logo on Tim's T shirt which I didn't quite understand. I'm guessing this might relate to his welding mask and the mask of the Cobra Copmmander!
  
  David paints using a photograph as a reference - but the photograph he uses is one which has been manipulated and worked on a lot using a digital graphics program - until it provides the image he wants. He then copies it to the support using carbon transfer.
  
  He uses a support which I'd never heard of before - a synthetic pvc panel made by Sintra (you can read more about it here) which is completely inert, very rigid and does not warp. Its commercial use if in signboards which have to withstand the extremes of weather - outside! He then coats it with an acrylic gesso which creates a very smooth eggshell like finish.
  
  For paints he goes with whoever provides the colour he wants to use but mainly uses paints by Sennelier, Daniel Smith and Jack Richeson. The T shirt was painted using Daniel Smith's lapis lazuli.
  
  Elizabeth McDonald comes from a small town near Dallas, Texas and was living in Austin prior to her move to the UK. She's currently studying for a Masters degree at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland.
  
  Elizabeth is primarily a figurative artist rarther than a portrait artist - and she's having a very good year in 2010. As well as winning the BP Young Artist Award, she has also had
  
  Elizabeth aims to use very traditional methods for painting but to create artwork which has a more contemporary style in terms of subject matter. Most of her paintings are a lot bigger than the one she entered for this competition.
  
  Her portrait is of one of her fellow students on the Masters degree course. Camillo Paravicini was somebody she didn't know very well and we agreed it's difficult to get tired of looking at somebody you don't know too well. It reminded me very much of Piang Jiang from the 2008 Exhibition who also won the Young Artist Award, who had painted his new flat mate who he'd only met a few weeks earlier. Developing an ability to paint somebody unknown to you is after all what portrait painters do all the time!
  
  She says she has a tendency to work a lot with warm colours. This one started with a red/orange ground and underpainting which she progressively cooled down as she painted. She painted the portrait over three sittings. One sitting for the face and body position, one just for the hands and one to complete the work. She was particularly keen to get the effect of the highly reflective black desk.
  
  Elizabeth uses M Graham oil paints which use walnut oil. This has a unique refractive index, is non-yellowing and according to Elizabeth has a really nice viscosity - very buttery. She has no need to use thinner and if she brushes walnut oil over the paint it pulls the pigment which creates the interesting textural marks in the painting.
  
  Elizabeth's website is http://www.aesthetiac.com/ - and this is her portfolio
  
  See the exhibition: The exhibition of portraits by the winners and selected entries will be at the National Portrait Gallery, London until 19 September 2010 after which it goes on tour to:
  
  No comments:
  
  A super comprehensive affair, Katherine Tyrrell’s blog is a go-to for punters and artists alike. Making a Mark includes useful annual itineraries of major UK art exhibitions (though the bulk are London-based) as well as a meticulous calendar of competitions for artists to enter. Expect in-depth news, analysis and a focus on fostering new talentCreativeTourist - Top Art Blogs UK 2016
  
  Total Pageviews
  
  Visits
  
  Visitors in December 2016
  
  Featured post
  
  Do you know what questions to ask when considering what to do about your artist's website - and whether or not it needs improving? Work...
  
  Read (and watch) More!
  
  My posts are often long with lots of images.
  
  Click the "READ MORE... ." link to see the whole post.
  
  Read my series of 10 articles "Cost effective ideas for artists" - providing useful tips on the business side of being an artist and selling your work on page 66 of The Artist Magazine every month in 2016.
  
  If you read this blog Google/Blogger will try and collect cookies about you to help improve viewing experience. You can change your settings at any time. My privacy and cookie policy are explained at the bottom of this page. Links to books are Amazon Affiliate links. If you buy using one the small sum I receive help to fund/maintain my 'resources for artists' sites. See Disclaimer notice at bottom.
  
  Botanical Art & Artists - News
  
  FOR YOUR INFORMATION
  
  You can find more information about arton one of my information sites (see links in menu underneath the title). Feel free to BOOKMARK and/orLINK to any of my sites from your site if you want a handy reference.
  
  Categories of topics/artwork are listed towards the bottom of this column - click a category to see all related posts.
  
  MY BOOK
  
  Below you'll find the titles and cover pages of my new book re. the three different editions for
  
  Do not copy without permission
  
  Copyright is reserved on all images and text generated by Katherine Tyrrell on this blog and related / referenced sites.
  
  Please also respect the copyright of all artists featured here. Copyright is retained by the originator for all images and text generated by others and used on this with their permission or within the context of "fair use".
  
  You may quote a very short excerpt from the text only (equivalent to a short feed) PLUS include an accredited link with appropriate and specific direction to the original content and blog post.
  
  You can e-mail me (see 'About Me' above) if you want to(1) purchase, licence, exhibit or display any of my artwork.(2) get permission to copy any more than indicated above or(3) use ANY text or images for publication elsewhere in print or online for commercial use. This is always subject to license and fee unless by prior written agreement.
  
  All spam blogs will be reported to Google and their website host ISP for copyright infringement.
  
  Disclaimer Notice: All reviews on this blog are independent and unbiased. What does this mean?* I choose to buy the bulk of my art materials and art books from various shops and suppliers but have no financial relationship or formal affiliation with any suppliers of art materials, any publisher or any B&M art shop or art bookshop.* I am sent review copies of books by various publishers or authors and samples of art materials by various suppliers of art materials. I always declare if I was sent a product as a sample.* I am an Amazon affiliate and the Amazon search box and all links to books include an affiliate link to my personal affiliate account. This means that if you buy a book as a result of clicking on one of these links I might earn a very small sum. (Income earned in this way helps me finance the purchase of new books).* Apart from books (see above for declaration) I always declare if I have any sort of affiliate interest in relation to a product or service under review
  
  Cookies Notice: You have full control over your cookie settings and what gets stored on your computer. Blogger, Google and Amazon and other websites which contribute to the operation of this blog all use cookies to ensure the best viewing experience. If you continue without changing your settings, I'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies. However you can change your cookie settings any time.
  
  Analytics Notice: This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.