Unveiling of Sir Malcolm Rory Colquhoun of Luss, 9th Baronet of Luss Portrait

[creagdhubh]

Greetings,

Here is an interesting link to a video in which I thought the rabble might enjoy, especially for those who are of Colquhoun descent (Tobus, et al).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFZd9DiDdRU

And here is a link to a slideshow of photos from the official unveiling of Sir Malcolm Colquhoun's portrait by artist, Michael Shane Neal.

http://michaelshaneneal.com/honors/u...rip-to-the-uk/

Kind regards,

[O'Searcaigh]

Very smart indeed. Quite light and bright as portraits go. I like it!

[creagdhubh]

Very smart indeed. Quite light and bright as portraits go. I like it!

I thought that too, especially when you have the darker, chiaroscuro-based portraits on the wall in the background - quite the contrast between old and new! The composition in Sir Malcolm's portrait is brilliant and I really do like Neal's loose painting style; he really captured Sir Malcom's likeness and character well, which of course, is the whole purpose behind portraiture.

[McClef]

A good portrait.

My one criticism is that the whole length of the kilt is curtailed.

[creagdhubh]

A good portrait.

My one criticism is that the whole length of the kilt is curtailed.

Good observation, Trefor.

Yes, obviously the artist (Neal) wanted to sort of "zoom in" on Sir Malcolm in order to achieve particular details that may not be readily seen if it was a full-length portrait, but then again, even that approach isn't always necessarily true. The artist can easily counteract that issue by increasing the canvas size to suit the compostion of the painting, thus allowing the pertinent detail to be seen adequately from varying distances and perhaps even up close (however, most paintings really aren't meant to be viewed up close). I'm not sure how much say Sir Malcolm had with the initial design and composition of his own portrait, but I am fairly certain that the artist did several sketches, or "mini-paintings" to establish a suitable composition, as well as to achieve the desirable colour palette, the correct anatomy of his sitter, and to really pin down Sir Malcolm's likeness.

Naturally, I am quite familiar with the process of portrait painting myself having studied oil-painting (Old Masters Style), drawing, sculpture and art history as an undergraduate and graduate student at university. What Neal was able to achieve is by no means an easy task. If you look closely at the painting, you'll notice that it tends to become a bit blurry and fuzzy the closer you get to it. You can really pick up on some of the brushstrokes and see slight imperfections of a loose, fluid manner of painting, of which I really like - there's nothing stiff or stuffy about this portrait. Then, if you view the painting from afar, you will see that all of those details in which I just described, quickly vanish. This is called optical mixing. As you walk further away from the painting to an optimum distance, the image will appear to be clearer and more in focus. The colours will appear more vivid and imperfections will smooth themselves out; brushstrokes are virtually non-existent. This is the precise manner in which the artist prefers the audience to view the painting - from a distance. Now, I'm not talking from clear across the room (though that is often a suitable distance too, especially for extremely large paintings), or way down an adjacent hallway where you could possibly catch a glimpse of the piece, rather several feet away from the artwork is often all that's needed for optical mixing to take place and for the viewer to fully enjoy the painting.

Cheers,

[McClef]

I bow to your knowledge Kyle but still think it's a pity from a kilt enthusiast POV which may not of course have been the first line of approach by the artist who certainly has talent.

[Hawk]

Greetings,

Here is an interesting link to a video in which I thought the rabble might enjoy, especially for those who are of Colquhoun descent (Tobus, et al).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFZd9DiDdRU

And here is a link to a slideshow of photos from the official unveiling of Sir Malcolm Colquhoun's portrait by artist, Michael Shane Neal.

http://michaelshaneneal.com/honors/u...rip-to-the-uk/

Kind regards,

Thank you for the information. Even though I've reviewed the information from Sir Malcolm, about receiving his new portrait, seeing it shared here is indeed a wonderful thing. Thank you for your review and opinions of this work.....

Sir Malcolm Colquhoun, plans on visiting here on this side of the water, to attend a few gatherings and visit with his Clan Relatives this year.

Hawk

[Jock Scot]

I am no artist, but I like the picture very much. In passing and on an educational theme, please note in the video clip, how well polished shoes do set off the kilt really well.

[creagdhubh]

I am no artist, but I like the picture very much. In passing and on an educational theme, please note in the video clip, how well polished shoes do set off the kilt really well.

I couldn't agree more, Jock!