During the whole lockdown situation I utterly missed a lot of my friends. Even though we could often use technology such as Face Time or Zoom I still missed seeing them and being in their presence. I wasn't allowed to go into my studio and painting at home wasn't practical that is why I decided to try my hand at digital portrait painting using ProCreate on iPad. First of my attempts at other people’s portraits is my friend Vicki aka. @goodcrowdmedia It was totally nerve racking but I think I managed to capture her image especially her huge blue eyes. This is one of her features I first see in my head when I think of her so even though I worked from a photograph I tried to also paint from memory just so I can see the essence of her face. I hope you like it Vicks!
My next attempt of a digital portrait was someone I have never met before. This time of Sally @decourcysally a Zoom friend I acquired during the last 18 months of Lockdowns. I have never met Sally in real life but I always looked forward seeing her cheerful smile on my screen. The background of this digital painting is a compilation that of her own art work called “The Colour of Mourning”. Please, visit her profile to find out more as it is a very important and topical work. On the surface it looks pretty and ornamental but in reality it is deep, moving and even haunting. Hope to see you soon in IRL Sally!
Another Zoom friend I gained during the pandemic Dara Herman Zierlein aka. @motherstime.mum Please go check out her profile and website. Dara is a passionate American artist and activist. Through her art she comments on what happens around her and the last couple of years there was a lot to process. I really appreciated her company and insight throughout the pandemic as myself and other artists around the world tried to make sense of what was happening in the USA.
Dara also published an environmental children's book which I really recommend checking out.
Anyway, in this digital portrait I tried to capture the passion in Daras eyes which came through the Zoom screen so strong but also the calm and stability which came from knowing that this too will pass as long as we are strong and do the right thing. The background is part of Daras own artwork which I borrowed to represent the choppy seas Dara navigates so calmly.
Thank you for being there my friend and for reigniting my own passion for socially conscious art when all I wanted to do was hide under the duvet and draw kittens. (I'm still not fully out of this stage but working on it). I really hope to meet you in person one day.
There you go. I would love to do some more digital painting so please contact me if you wanted a digital painting done of yourself or a loved one. This is the perfect gift for 2021 as you can send it anywhere around the world for free without worry that it might not get there on time. Here is where you can purchase yours: https://www.ritalazaro.co.uk/product-page/digital-painting-portrait-jpg-png-or-psd
Please check my Instagram for more goodies: https://www.instagram.com/ritalazaroart/
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