Behind the Scenes of the Portrait Painting of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson

The official portrait painting of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, an oil on canvas of 36″ x 48″, is now on permanent display at City Hall

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson Portrait Painting, artist Lydia Pepin

Portrait Painting Beginning Process

When working on a portrait, I think it is important, when possible, to spend time with the person being painted in order to capture their personality on canvas. I then do a photo-shoot where I take a multitude of pictures, enabling me to study their face under various lights and from all sides. Afterwards I choose the picture which best reflects them and sometimes even combine a few of them to represent them as honestly as possible, and to have a composition which puts the subject at the heart of the painting.

Photoshoot

Painting Techniques

I work in the same combination of layers for all my paintings, to achieve a final product which suits me. I first start with a sketch in charcoal on canvas, for outline and composition, followed by china ink which dries and doesn’t mix with the oil. Once it is dried, I cover the canvas with a coat of diluted colour which will set the tone of the painting, then I start working on the grisaille in acrylic (Black and white coat which gives volume – see video below). Once the grisaille is done, I start working on the oil colors. I do coats of warm oil colours then cold oil colours, alternating to achieve a unique and interesting skin colour which has depth and richness. A few final details, and voilà!