Kim,

What you describe sounds like a nice photo, the whole family pilled up with a big bowl of popcorn. I would set it on a timer and have everyone mug and throw pop corn on cue. Not too worry about composition, just a fun documentary moment of the family. Pick your best shot, put it in a frame and hang it on the wall.

I would like to offer to you, from a once-was Texan to a used-to-be Yankee, a double coyote dare.

Pick one of those popcorn throwers, put them in a collared shirt of your choosing, and do a head and shoulder three quarter portrait.

Is this the Sargent that Michelle meant?
 

JSSargent
W. Graham Robertson, 1894
90" x 46"
(Tate, London)

Nope. It's a three quarter length of a man in black on a black background, a pianist friend of Sargent's. I couldn't find it online, though it is in one of the Ormond books.

OK - Mr. Used-to-be Texan - your trying to tell me that a casual arrangement like I mentioned could not be called a portrait? If we are all looking at the viewer? Maybe outside somewhere scenic?

Can someone start a thread on this? I want to see examples of good portraits that are different or casually arranged..with at least 3 people. Show those that you'd consider portraits vs. figuratives.

For example: Linda Nelson had that long tall portrait of a large family - great composition. They are all interacting nicely. Why would that be a portrait and not one like I described? The main difference is that we wouldnt be standing...?

OK, Mike - I'll do a collared-shirt one of one of my family just to prove I can if you'll start that thread for me.

Michele,

Is that at the Frye, or at SAM? I've seen Sargent's "Mrs. Fredrick Roller" at Frye.

Gear

You don't have to do that, I'm sure you could do it. I was just having flashbacks of your last "many figured" project.

What you were describing was an indoor scene with a bunch of folks sorta knarled up, these (if there are any of these) can be tough to light and difficult to compose at best. That's not to say that you couldn't do it, but, it might take a village to pull it off well.

Geary, it's at the Seattle Art Museum. It's Leon Delafosse. I did find an image of it on the web:

That is a gorgeous example Michele - thanks for posting it. I love how the black runs into his suit. I wish someone would hire me to paint Jamie in his tux - his mother can't afford to pay me. ;)

Does this mean Mike that you wont start that thread? I truly would love to see examples of good, bad etc... and where is the line drawn that turns them into figuratives. I always thought of figuratives as having to be looking away, but I have since seen plenty of portraits like that. And when you get to groups of people...then it's a fine line to me unless they are formal and staring right at the viewer.

Michele - a quick question since you have seen that portrait in person: Can you tell me what colors are in that hand ? Just a guess maybe...it recedes so beautifully.

Thanks Michele!

Since my mother is visiting from California.....I think I'll take her there tomorrow.

I agree with Kimberly about the black-on-black look. Very rich. The young man looks like he was born on a bed of money! :)