Preliminary Sketches for Presidential Commissions

Preliminary Sketches for Anzalone Commissions, graphite/charcoal, 2009-10

These are almost all of the preliminary sketches which I put together for the Anzalone commissions which I have been working on for the last couple of months. In total there are 13 prelim sketches. I have posted the end results for the Clinton and Carter portraits already in earlier posts below. I have finished the Obama portrait but have not delivered it to my client yet so look for that post in the near future. In addition to these three portraits, the patron has also expressed interest in commissioning two more Democratic President portraits: President L.B. Johnson and JFK. I hope to have a photo of all five of these portraits framed and hanging on that walls of the firm in the future. Tell me what you think. - Jared

Presidential Commission #2

Bill Clinton, acrylic on panel, 10.5x13", 2010

As I have mentioned before, I have been commissioned to do several presidential portraits for the Anzalone Liszt Research firm in Montgomery, AL. John Anzalone has proven to be a strong patron for art and I was able to deliver both Carter and Clinton's portraits to him the other day. Whenever I paint a portrait, one of the worst things that can happen for me is for the portrait to resemble someone else, someone extremely well known. The reason is simple: people with whom we are very familiar, like celebrities and relatives, have memorable faces ingrained in our minds. Once a portrait begins to resemble someone else besides the person to be portrayed, it becomes a struggle to ignore the subconscious pull to paint that incorrect visage and to focus on what I am actual "seeing". With that said, this portrait of Bill looked a lot like Robert Redford early on. It required an extra dose of attention to detail but in the end I think that I nailed him fairly well (nailed perhaps a bad word choice when referencing Bill Clinton). I expect to post the three remaining portraits in the commission soon, they are Obama, JFK, and L.B. Johnson. - Jared