House and place portraits: from photo to painting
A house or a place carries memories the way a face does. Painting one well is about getting the structure right and knowing what to leave out.
1 min read
What people commission
The most common requests are the family home, a wedding venue, a first house, a family business and places from a memorable trip. Many are bought as gifts for a move, an anniversary or a retirement.
What a painter focuses on
With buildings, the painter's attention goes to perspective, straight vertical and horizontal lines, the proportions of windows and doors, and the way light falls across the facade. Small details can be simplified; the structure can't be wrong.
What can be left out
Power lines, parked cars, trash cans and scaffolding usually aren't part of the memory. They can be removed. Some clients prefer to keep a car or a bicycle that means something, so we confirm what stays in the proof.
Changing the season or the light
A summer photo can become a snow scene, and daylight can become dusk. These changes are part of the artistic direction, confirmed in the proof and quoted before we start.
Sizes and styles that work
House portraits usually suit a landscape format, from 16 × 20 in to 24 × 36 in. The style can be realistic, impressionistic with visible brushstrokes, or heavily textured, depending on the room it will hang in.
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Light, angle, focus and resolution: how to choose or take a photo that a painter can turn into a strong portrait.
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