Liverpool FC Forum

[Emerald Red]

I'd an idea in my head for a while to recreate one of Rembrandt's famous self-portraits and capture it stage by stage using the 7 layer Flemish technique that is all but extinct in modern day painting. I wanted a Liverpool theme to it. Rafa had the face to suit. Plenty of character, and isn't wholly unlike the Dutch master himself. Here's the results in images. I'll post the video when I compile it and upload it.

1st layer: Ink outline and tonal wash.



2nd Layer: Under painting; raw umber mid-tone shadow.



3rd layer: 2nd shadow layer.



Layer 4: Penumbra (Dead Layer)



Layer 5: color 1st body.



Layer 6: 2nd body.



Layer 7: final layer; detail; highlights; signature.



VIDEO LINK.

[account deleted by request]

Just amazing that Emerald. As someone who finds it tricky painting a door, I can only look on in envy at your talent.

[Dundalk]

Ridiculously talented.

A real work off art.

Top work fella. 

[LFC2007]

Can you do that with a paint brush?

Great stuff btw.

[Emerald Red]

Can you do that with a paint brush?

Great stuff btw.

Indeed I can. In fact, I set Photoshop up so that it replicated real brushes and paint. I didn't want to do this like the others, where filters were used and the opacity of the colors could be changed and used as if spray painted on. This one is different. I selected natural brushes from the brush pallet to give me brush strokes, and set the color opacity and flow options to replicate real paint. I could have have just started on a single layer, but it wouldn't be possible to get the transparency needed to give it that look. If only there was a filter I could have used to age the final image. If I were to paint this on canvas, it would almost certainly turn out just the same, if not a little better. I'm currently working on a dozen oil portraits.

[LFC2007]

I were to paint this on canvas, it would almost certainly turn out just the same, if not a little better. I'm currently working on a dozen oil portraits.

Have you got your own website etc. and does your work go to exhibitions?

[account deleted by request]

Can you do that with a paint brush?

Great stuff btw.

Indeed I can. In fact, I set Photoshop up so that it replicated real brushes and paint. I didn't want to do this like the others, where filters were used and the opacity of the colors could be changed and used as if spray painted on. This one is different. I selected natural brushes from the brush pallet to give me brush strokes, and set the color opacity and flow options to replicate real paint. I could have have just started on a single layer, but it wouldn't be possible to get the transparency needed to give it that look. If only there was a filter I could have used to age the final image. If I were to paint this on canvas, it would almost certainly turn out just the same, if not a little better. I'm currently working on a dozen oil portraits.

I thought he meant like Rolf Harris 

[JoeTerp]

seemed like the dude LOVEd to paint himself

[Woollyback]

bloody hell ER you've got a real talent dude. i used to be able to do a lot of half decent pencil drawing stuff like landscapes, buildings etc but to do your kind of stuff is in a different league altogether. i'm well impressed

[Emerald Red]

I were to paint this on canvas, it would almost certainly turn out just the same, if not a little better. I'm currently working on a dozen oil portraits.

Have you got your own website etc. and does your work go to exhibitions?

Website? No. Though I should. And, no, I haven't sent any of my work for exhibition, though I should.

Most of my work is commission. Mostly word of mouth and advertising. Once a painting is complete, I just hand it over. I've not really got any time to work on personal paintings as yet (apart from these Photoshopped ones) to give to an exhibition. Regardless, the PS ones sort of have their own exhibition in the form of the internet. I should get on the ball to make my work more widely known, though.

[Emerald Red]

seemed like the dude LOVEd to paint himself

Indeed he did. I think in total he painted over 50 of himself. Many are unknown. This particular one is one of my favorite.

[Dundalk]

How much of your time does this take up?

[Woollyback]

will you paint me a pic of cheryl tweedy, legs akimbo, shovin' a dildo up her @rse for me lounge wall?  ta.

[Emerald Red]

How much of your time does this take up?

On and off. This one took about 8 hours, I think.

If I were to paint that for real, I'd say a few months. The reason being is that the layers take a long time to dry. I'd be using very thick paint for the final layers and those can take anything between a few days to over a week depending on the paint pigment. White seems to take an age, whereas browns take not so long.

[big al]

Emerald red it is very often amazing to so many outside Ireland how talented and great we are.  Whats is also strange is how little scousers acknowledge and know how much they themselves owe so much to this island of ours and the talents such as you.  For example Oscar Wilde Willaim Butler Yeats, his brother Jack Yeats, Seamus Heaney, Samuel Beckett, George Bernard Shaw. Kipling had family ties to Ulster, Eugene O'Neill whose dad was irish ALL WER NOBEL LAURETTES. Of coursE the greatest not to win was a prize was Joyce, who preformed the greatest of all tricks to write an english language masterpiece that only the irish could comprehend. Liverpool was born of the immigrant Irish. Who brought Lennon, McCartney, and of course Robinson. One more thing and it is important.  The greatest masterpiece of all human beings interms of art is in the national gallery in dublin. You may be convinced its the Mona Lisa. But in dublin you'll find "the taking if Christ" by Michaelangelo de Mersi Carravaggio.  I have seen a multitude of art including the Mona Lisa but only a drunkard like myself has held me spell bound and numb by a message beyond the capture of the son of God.  With a photograph not a painting of how it really was.  Even the beauty of anfield and a John Barnes goal is insufficent.