Heidi K von Ludewig
Fine Artist in Oils with Archival Quality
Portraits by barter
For many centuries, portraits have been a classical graphical and personal convention of style and stature. In fact, since the mid-20th century, the proliferation of photography equipment has made snapshot portraits popular. However, the lifespan of a photograph tends to be between 50 years and 100yrs due to the quality of paper, chemicals for development and printing, and treatment of photographs themselves. In fact, no one knows exactly how long photographs will last -- especially those which are self-printed.
Oil portraits in particular have garnered a reputation of quality due to the achievement of style, and their archival quality; they date from the 1200s.
Portraiture must be personal
The quintessential objectives of a portrait are to convey the personality, stature, and the emotive state of the sitter and/or of the artist, and to serve as the record of the relationship between the two. The latter point is of particular importance in considering the difference between a photographic portrait and an oil portrait. The human hand is effected by emotion whereas the camera lens is not. In fact, portraits represent humanism in its finest form.
Rather than submit to commissions, bartering is a way to continue or form bonds and networks among those whose portraits I paint. It must be intimate and personal.
the Process
Oil portraits begin with a discussion, a meeting, a tete-a-tete. From a personal photo shoot, I take many pictures in order to get a sense of the subject's personal taste and style. A successful photograph is selected from which I base the portrait. The photographs are private and are never shared or used in any other form; to compare the original photograph with the hand-painted oil portrait is to make a grave error in judging the portrait's purpose and quality. Portraits can take anywhere from 6months to 1 year to complete.Completed works
Works in progress
