BA002 – Morgan

This painting of Morgan Freeman is part of my ‘famousfaces’ series.I find him incredibly engaging, both to watch and listento. He has the most beautiful voice, and to me afascinating face. Freckles at the sides of his eyes andwhite afro hair.I feel he gives off a deep warm aura and so a purplepalette has been used. 

This was the first in the series that saw meexperimenting with spray paint. I had been workingpreviously with very heavy oil paint, using solidbackgrounds in keeping with the colour of the subject. Idecided the overworking with a brush needed to bewithdrawn for a lighter feeling. My series of ‘icons’needed uplifting and backgrounds more in-keeping withthe mood. 

The canvas was primed, a ground applied with bluespray paint, then Morgan was underpainted in greys. Istill could not resist working some of the backgroundwith my usual heavy style of brushwork, but lightened asI went across the composition to allow his hair to have alight airy feel.The eyes and glasses were by far the most importantelement of the work for me. 

Tags: Original,Canvas

Size: acrylic and spray paint on 84 x 59