I was commissioned to create this painting as a Christmas gift for a couple that got married in the summer of 2024. The scenery the wedding photographs were taken is just breathtaking. I found it very inspiring and enjoyed every minute painting this gorgeous couple. The forest behind brings some interesting light I felt.
The painting was commissioned by the groom’s mom as a gift for the couple. I painted it in December in time for Christmas.
I had one reference photograph to work from. The client didn’t want me to crop the image so the entire scene can be captured in its entirity. I worked with acrylics on stretched canvas at a size of 60 x 40 cm.
I started with a line sketch as usual before moving onto colour blocking. Once I was happy with how the painting was looking at this stage, I started adding detail to the couple at first. I made sure to capture their likenesses – adding a little more smile 🙂 on the way.
I used a small round brush to paint in the detail of the couple, especially their face features. For the background, I opted for flat brushes in a selection of widths. I didn’t want to use too much detail in the background for the couple to take centre stage. The flower bouquet is beautiful in the photo together with the bride’s dress. There isn’t much detail visible so it was important to capture the shadows and tones in a suggested way.
The client was very happy with the finished painting when she received a scanned image from me by email:
Oh my word Ivana you are an extremely talented lady…Its gorgeous….I know they will love it….Thanks so much…
Suzanne, the groom’s mom upon seeing the finished painting, county Laois, December 2024
I posted the painting unframed. I applies a couple of coats of matt varnish to the canvas surface. This protects the paint from accumulating dust and can be wiped with a cloth easily. It also keeps the colours fresh on the canvas. The varnish I use is Artists’ quality and has UV protection. It is removable with a varnish removal too.