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Polo picture
Jeannine, I spent 20 years toiling as a commercial artist. Often we were provided with material that we had to make work. Some suggestions that might help.
A. Make sure you get a large blow-up of the photo. Get a separate close-up of his head to the size you want it preferably 8". For this subject and for a man 8" is as small as I would go on a head.
B. Draw him in classical and heroic proportions, 8 heads high, anything else and he will look dumpy. They are 1, the head, 2, to his armpits, 3, to his waist, 4, to his crotch 5. mid thigh, 6. bottom of kneecap, 7, mid calf, 8, to bottom of weight bearing heel.
The length of the neck is 1/3 the length of the head.
C. Enlarge the figure in relationship to the background, this will work because of the compressed space of this shot.
D. Crop the figure mid-calf. Those legs will look shriveled in a painting. Move the figure in white behind the polo guy. The dark side of the figure will be silhoetted against the played down white.
E. Keep the stuff on the bench to your left just as it is. It is a great mini polo still life. Crop a little beyond that. Crop sharply to the right of the polo figure so he is more monumental and centered.
F. Simplfy the background to just suggest polo tent, ie. soft vertical stripes. If you can re-photograph the scallops of the tent (or similar tent) do it. Make sure it is in the in the same light. Paint it horizontally across top of picture witout any dips, a graphic element. Soften and remove any other extraneous detail.Make sure the guy is the center of attention.
G. Your responsibility is to the final work and yourself as an artist. If your client wants to add things which, in your judgement don't work, be firm and decline. Remind her she hired you based on your previous work and to trust you.
H. Do not try to force this composition into a 30" x 40". It may well be 30" x 48".
I. Good Luck!
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