This was a fun commission for me to tackle, as it allowed me more creative freedom to try and include all the elements my client had asked for with the 30cm X 20cm confines of the mounted board. My first step was to come up with a layout that includes all the requested objects in a “workable narrative” as well as being compositional pleasing.  When i was happy I lightly drew the design onto the white primed board. Only to erase it, so as to leave the faintest trace of a line, which would act as guidelines. Then I started blocking in or under-painting, basically getting the foundation colour of each object down.
Once the board is cover with the first layer of paint, I usually leave it while for the oils to dry before repainting the scene again. This time adding shadow, highlights and some detail in order to balance the colour and give them a sense of depth, as can be seen by the addition of darker red areas to the car and highlighted stars of the galaxy
I then repeat this step again and again further refining the detail and depth of the paint until I’m happy with it. I really enjoyed painting the deep blues/blacks of space and the tint of pink in the galxy’s spiral arm, and the variation of skin tone between the two space men. I endeavor to get each painting to a certain representational standard but it is just as important not to obsure the brush work as i feel it gives it’s own character, At the end of the day it is an oil painting. You may notice that towards the end I swapped out my little green alien for a Cat,  the Client wished to have something more personal to him, which is what commissioned Fun Art portraits is all about.
Thank you for reading, please let know what you think by leaving a Comment, liking it or FaceBooking me. If you happen to find yourself outside on a nice clear night, why not look up at the Majesty of the stars and untold wonders of the void, you might even spot out friendly spacemen!
Until next we meet, be well,
D.P O’ Malley – cultural satirist and painter in oils.