Hobee

It's been a while since I posted a portrait (or anything else). I've got quite the backlog of portraits to show.

Let's start with one of my favorites. This is Hobee.

Not much to say about this happy fella, except that I really like the way the bright blue background sets off the orangey tone of his head. I added some electric orange tones on his cheeks that create a nice glowing effect, making the shadow areas much more interesting.

Since I use photos as references, it's tempting to simply copy whatever I see there, but that's not how I work. With each portrait I try to interpret what the photos show (and what they don't show), using that to reveal something unique about the subject, and in the process create a portrait that transcends the source material.

Hobee (8x10, digital)