How I Work
Step 1 - The Interview:
Any commissioned artwork requires an interview so that all circumstances of the historical record are understood, and I can get a feel for the context and understand what it means to you.
Step 3 - The scene:
Meaningful locations can complete the spirit of a picture, or be the point of it. Photographs of those favourite spots are invaluable for accuracy, but sometimes even a simple description, like "at the beach", can work too.
Step 4 - Putting it together:
Projection of suitable images onto the panel or canvas may be used to ensure accuracy of form, but I am never trying only for an illustration. Photos are just a starting and a reference. Artistic licence will (and should) be taken.
Step 2 - Reference Photos
Sometimes the subject photograph is simply a starting point for the final work. Sometimes there are no suitable photos of the specific subject at all; but a reference photograph or two is crucial to the project, because the most intense feelings of "I remember that!" come from accuracy in shape and detail. In this case, the supplied image was taken from a moving car, but I had some decades-old suitable pictures from my own archives.