Read what is so special about double portraits and find out how you can become a part of my new “Friends” series.
Double Portraits
This recently finished painting from the series “Friends” shows two girlfriends in Rajasthan, India, and they were photographed there by Anjan Gosh.
Oil on canvas | 70 x 100 cm
2022
Reference photo: Anjan Gosh
I just love the bright colors of their dresses and how they are embracing each other. I think there is something really special about double portraits of close friends. The models do not only interact with the photographer, which sometimes makes them a bit more shy than they usually are. But there’s a clearly visible connection among the two and it may even make them be a bit braver than they usually are. You could also say the friend really loosens up the artificial situation of the shoot.
I first noticed this while painting the girlfriends from Afghanistan last year, who are a bit younger and live in a country not used to meeting many tourists. I can clearly feel how the girl on the right, who seems to be a bit more comfortable in this situation, is making her friend feel at bit safer by leaning against her.
Oil on canvas | 70 x 100 cm
2021
Reference photo: Laia López Barnadas
While I am now painting the third painting of the series of girlfriends in Chad – photographed there by Laia López Barnadas – I am really getting into the subject. See updates of my progress in my Instagram account.
Call for Models!
So I have come up with the idea that I wish to make this an ongoing series and I invite you to contact me if you and a friend of yours would like to be painted together. Age, nationality, gender, appearance and other categories do not matter, everyone is welcome. Currently, I would especially appreciate messages from people living in my city, Cologne, so I can personally take a photo of you. But you can also live on the other side of the world and submit a photo. Please send me an email and I will send you more details. Write to: mail(at)ateliersommerkunst.de or use the contact form on my webpage.
If you would like to be notified each time a new post is published, please subribe to my email list >>HERE. You will be the first to find out!
This blog belongs to and is operated by: Atelier SommerKunst.
If you have any questions, please send us an email to mail(at)ateliersommerkunst.de.