How to Paint a Home Portrait of a House That is Hidden

by Susan Stillman June 26, 2010

This incredible home sits high on a hill, with breathtaking views of a reservoir. The challenge for me is to paint the home as if I was hovering 20 feet in the air, to be able to reveal what is hidden behind the wall.

Photographing

I begin by photographing the property from a distance, to record how it all comes together. I use the zoom lens to get the details that are not hidden by the wall.

I then photograph the house in pieces from very close up.  I move across the whole place, capturing the details at my eye level.  When aiming up at roof details, I will have distortion to correct later in the sketch.

 

 Sketch

With all my reference photos printed, I am able to reconstruct the house as my client wants to remember it.  She will be selling it soon, and as a gifted designer, the house is a glorious expression of her own personal aesthetic.  We work together closely to include her favorite details.

 

Starting the Finish

We can pick and choose what foliage to show in flower.  Most trees will be open, but I will show a couple of dogwoods on the left with white and pink blossoms.  The large dogwood in the front of the wall obscures much of the house, so we decide to turn back the clock and reduce it’s size.

 

 

I will post the finished painting in the next few weeks.  Cheers!