Double portraits and pricing

My latest commissions were 2 double portraits - beautiful twins (from the previous post) and a stunning couple.

People often ask why is the double portrait so much more expensive than a single, even though it is the same or similar size.  Double (and multiple) portraits more challenging than singles. Yes, I would not be using much more canvas and paint for double portrait compared to single, but...

- I still need to paint another portrait that would take me the same time as the single- so doubled time and attention.
- in the double the portrait is a bit smaller and its harder to get the details in it to achieve likeliness;
- the colors need to match. With that I mean that colors should not only be life like for one person, but also if looked between two people. For example in the couple portrait, it was easier to choose the colors as the skin tones are fairly distinct.
- if the portrait is combined from a different photos / positions, it involves extra planning to make the portrait look natural.

All in all, this was a fabulous commission. I am happy with the result, so are the clients :)

PS. Both portraits are oil on 14x18 inch stretched canvas.

Hand painted post cards

A few months ago I went to my favorite art shop (PNA in South Africa, they are specially good in Somerset West/ Strand area) and came across watercolor postcards- they are blank postcards that can be customized according to ones wishes.  I thought its such a cool idea. So here are some of mine:

They all are size A6. I find painting these fun as they are small and quick- well, compared to what I am used to. All are painted with acrylic, but i do think of giving an oil paint a try too. The only worry is if the oil is going to seep through the paper?

Now I need to figure out what to do with these postcards- cos at the rate I am going I will soon have a full house with these. I was thinking of maybe offering to do these for charity- in that case everyone benefits- charity with earning some bucks, me distributing my work. I think that's a great idea, what do you think?

2018 paintings

The 2018 has started slow for me. Since I did the tourist guiding course in October and been guiding here in Cape Town, there was not much time for painting. Oh, we also did major renovations in the house and painting and dust don't co exist very well.

Brushes and paint tubes were finally dusted off (literally!) in March, 2018.

Here are the results since then:
All of them are 30x40cm oil paintings on canvas grain paper.

RAW by R.Grizane
SOLD

LITTLE APPLE

UNTITLED
SOLD

PINK DREAM by R.Grizane

BE SELF
SOLD

INNOCENCE

Have an awesome time painting!!!

Family portrait commission in oil

This beautiful family commissioned a portrait for Christmas. It was delivered to them on 23.December, 2015 :)

I was smiling through the whole process of painting... well most of it:)

Size: 70x91cm (30x36inch)

what is she thinking?

I had so much fun painting this fresh portrait. Oil on canvas.

I love this portrait a lot! this is none of the unclaimed portraits that was ordered from overseas. It was posted to Europe and sent back as it was not collected from the post office. It cost me some money, since I never took deposit on it. Since then I am always asking for deposit on the commission work.

Horse painting for CANSA donations

I have to say the biggest THANK YOU to Alicia, who bought "Cancer horse" and enabled me to donate funds to CANSA - The Cancer Association of South Africa (http://www.cansa.org.za/). The donation has been made through GivenGain (http://www.givengain.com/cause/1056/) and was half of the amount of paintings selling price. The other half of the money was used to support the painting give away project .

This is what Alicia wrote:

Dear Ritma,

I have looked at this painting so often. I dream of it. Your talent comes from your heart. God put it there.

I come from a very large family. I am 67 years old now. We all came together at one of the family homes over weekends, and sang songs and danced. We were a very happy lot. There were about 79 of us when I was born.

There are now 4 cousins left. Everyone, barring my Own Mother, and Father and my Grandfather died of cancer. I give to all Cancer Fighting Causes....as much as I can. I have added Hospice too, as my father died recently, and without hospice’s help my poor mother would and could not care for him alone at home. He died of Sepsis, after he fell off the bed at the hospital...went for one night for tests. Was left on the floor for 3 hours with only his night shorts on. He had the bell in his hand, but it did not work. He had a heart attack, a stroke and eventually fell into a coma. He died in agony. And the day before he went to hospital we all went out for lunch as so many times before. He made us laugh all afternoon.

My shop Malaika, is opposite the Builders Warehouse. This painting is going to hang above my bed....till the day I die.

Alicia

What a sad story:(. I don't know Alicias' family, but that must be an awesome family, to make Alicia in a wonderful person she is today!:)

Here are some more links from Alicia, if You feel like donating:
http://www.pinkdrive.co.za/
http://www.mrc.ac.za/cancer/cancer.htm
http://www.cancerbuddies.org.za/donations
http://childrenshospitaltrust.org.za/red-cross-war-memorial-childrens-hospital-2/
http://www.stlukes.co.za/

Horse painting - large

Ok, it is not a secret that I LOVE horses:) Horses are the most amazing, elegant, strong and gentle (in most cases) animals. I have always wanted to paint a large horse painting. IT'S DONE!

Finding the right horse/ photo took the most effort!

Enjoy the painting!

Horse painting by R Grizane

Large painting - horse

One day I will own a horse and he/she will look just like this one!:)

R

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela has passed away at the age of 95:(  (December 5, 2013)

R.I.P.

Nelson Mandela portrait. Acrylic on canvas. Sold, 2012

Exhibition in news

Hey, this is so cool!!!

My exhibition in Riga today is featured on Latvia's biggest news platform www.delfi.lv.

Here is the link.
http://www.delfi.lv/aculiecinieks/news/riga/vina-dzivo-afrika-un-nu-atrada-savus-darbus-dzimtaja-latvija.d?id=43737360

Apologies to those who don't read Latvian.

Exhibition Nr3/ Izstāde Nr 3- Restorācija, Rīga, Latvija

The 3rd Solo Exhibition in Latvia is up and running from 7- 20.October in Restaurant/ Bar Restoracija in Riga, corner of Terbatas and Stabu street. http://www.restoracija.lv/home.php

Thank You all for making it possible!!!

Trešā personālizstāde "Portreti" ir skatāma Restorānā/ bārā "Restorācija" uz Tērbatas un Stabu ielas stūra. Visi laipni aicināti baudīt mākslu un, ja ir vēlme- padoties tiešām fantastisko ēdienu un dzērienu kārdinājumam (to saku no pieredzes:)). http://www.restoracija.lv/edieni.php

Paldies visiem! bez jums tas nebūtu iespējams!!!

Newly married for 25 years

:) This is a commission I was asked to paint as a present for a 25th wedding anniversary. Here You can see both: the original photo and the photo of the painting. It was somewhat a challenge to do colors in the painting as the 25 years old photo does not the same detail as the 16 mega pixel digital photo... but it definitely was fun:) I really hope that the couple depicted have a great marriage and likes the painting:).

original

Oil portrait of newly weds 

More colors

As a response to my last post on my favorite colors- I decided to do a paintings with different / happier colors:

Save the Rhino,
Acrylic on canvas
29x40cm

I still used the ultramarine blue as the darkest color on the palette, but introduced some yellows and reds as well. Hope You like it:)

R

Horses in Oil

Hi Dear Friends!

Felt like playing around with the paint a bit, as had a difficulty finishing one of my commissions. Do You ever get that urge of side tracking??? You know- when You should be doing something, but just feel like doing something totally different??? Anyway, that was the feeling that got me painting horses again!:)))

Here is the result:

Have a fantastic day!!!

Solo Exhibition!!!

My first Solo Exhibition is running!!! I'm so gratefull to all the people that helped me to get this far. Special thanks to my family who supported me even though they live on the other side of the Globe!

My first exhibition is organized in Gaujiena where my parents live and it is also the place I call home!

In the mean time my husband travels Africa on his BMW motirbike. More info: www.1man1bike1adventure.blogspot.com

Oil paintings - portraits

I think I finally discovered why oil paint is so popular for portrait paintings! Its not that this was the first time I used oil paint for portraits, however it was the first time I enjoyed painting with oil.

Oil paint generaly is quite uncomfortable medium: requires turpentine for cleaning, linseed oil, zelkin etc for effects. Drying time is  long- which in my case is a shortcomming- I have no space to have paintings standing arround. Having two little boys arround does not help. Oil paint is also less forgiving with mistakes... 

Even with all of the shortcommings- I truly enjoyed painting the last portraits in my collection:

Black & White

Two more paintings of the same family. This time here are two super-cute cousins:)

Both paintings are 18x24 inch (~45x60cm). Acrylic un canvas. The background I have left unpainted as the white of the canvas is different to white I painted- just liked the feel of it. Also didn't want to over-work the paintings. I hope You like them!:)

R

Old Photo = New Painting!

We sometimes miss our loved ones that we have lost and would love to have them with us... however, we don't always have a perfect picture to enlarge and put on canvas. But You can have a painting. Here are couple of paintings, that I have done from old, black& white photograph:

Merry Christmas!!!

Dear Nelson Mandela and all of us- may we have a blessed Christmas and fulfilling time with our families! 

Painting landscape

It's been a while since the last post and I have been busy, but not painting wise... However I have done a few portraits with landscape at the background. Although landscape does not require a precise representation (as oppose to portrait, where a minimal change can determine if the portrait will actually look like the person portrayed) it still takes a lot of effort and time to paint. The tricky part is to make landscape look 3-dimensional, where the lightest color and darkest color meet at the horizon.

All of these paintings are done with acrylic paint on canvas fabric.  In various sizes. 

www.portraitartist.co.za