a personality portrait captures a treasured moment
( click on the thumbnail for a larger view )
Most of you know that one of my favorite art forms is called by me ‘the personality portrait’. I named it that because the images are MORE than portraits but different than caricatures. I like to combine favorite photos with descriptions and colors and personal memories and then paint them all to create a fantasy moment – that photo we wish we had.
Anything is possible… this example combines the woman and the children, the dogs and the piano, a favorite childhood book, and certain shapes and colors to create a new memory.
This example is 24″ x 36″ and is painted with acrylic on canvas.
quick cartoon at party by Philip Herman drawn onto pre-printed Tiffany-style blue box design
sometimes Herman designs special paper for the party theme, like this Tiffany-style blue box
Herman drew heads&shoulders of each guest onto the specially themed paper
each guest was drawn as if he/she had popped out of a Tiffany-style blue box
the specially designed and printed paper has the names of the guests-of-honor written on the ribbon
when there are lots of people to be drawn, Herman can work in black&white
When there are lots of people to be drawn in limited time, or if the client wants the paper to compliment the theme of the party; Herman can design and print what he calls a Quikmat. In this case the TIFFANY BLUE BOX was the color theme of the party; so Herman made special paper that worked with his drawings so that each guest appeared to be popping out of the blue box.
Herman is often asked to paint scenes of the moment when the fiance proposes to his bride-to-be. Sometimes the man uses these creatively as an integral part of the process, as in these two examples: one, at Terrace In The Sky in Manhattan; the other; on a dinner cruise around manhattan.
Groom-to-be presents huge rock to astonished fiance at Terrace In The Sky in upper NYC in this portrait used by the Groom-to-be as part of his proposal.
In this ingenious idea, Herman is hired by the Groom-to-be to actually be on the cruise, posing as artist-in-residence and pretending to draw the infatuated couple as the man proposes.
In this instance, Herman was hired to be at Tavern On The Green in Central Park and pretend to draw the couple as the man proposes to her.
As a Sign-In-Board at their wedding, with a border for guests to sign on, Herman depicted the wedding couple as Merman and Mermaid.
Airbrushed on their favorite beach at sunset as a Sign-In-Board for their guests to sign on the border at the wedding reception.
This painting was used as the wedding invitation by an unconventional couple from NYC getting married in Ohio.
This bride & groom met as lifeguards, and wanted to be painted that way by Herman on their Sign-In-Board.
This B&W line drawing was used as a thank you card to all the guests who gave gifts.
This painting by Herman of an adventurous couple in the Galapagos was used as an invite and then framed as a portrait.