Do You Finish It On The Night?

One of the most common questions I get asked is if I finish the painting on the day of the wedding.

And the short answer is no.

However, I’m here to give you the slightly more detailed, longer answer which will give you some insight into what you can expect your painting to look like at the end of the night if you choose to hire me to paint at your wedding.

Once I have my reference photos, I get to work on sketching out your portrait and then start laying down a basic background. All of this usually happens before you’ve even sat down for your wedding breakfast!

From there I begin to block out larger sections such as the dress or suit, adding in the key shadows and highlights to give form and dimension.

Next, I’ll focus on skin tones and add in the finer details of the face, bringing your likeness to the portrait.

Finally, I’ll complete any other elements like the bouquet, buttonholes, veil etc.

By the end of the night, every element of your portrait will have the foundations laid and you will get a real vision of how it will look when complete. All areas of the canvas will be covered in paint and you (and your guests) should be able to recognise yourself.

As much as I adore painting live for you and your guests at your wedding, I also love the sessions that follow where I really get to delve deep into the details of the portrait and bring it to life!

In total, wedding portraits can expect to have up to 25 hours of work on them before I’m happy to sign them off as finished! But you will always have the final say and if there is ever anything you’re not happy with, I will work on it until you are!

Here are some comparisons between ‘End of the Night’ and ‘After Studio Edits’.

Hannah & Dom

Emily & Kieran

Natasha & Craig

Becky & Charlie

This blogpost details my process as an artist and every wedding painter works differently with some finishing on the night. Due to the closely cropped composition and realistic nature of my portraits, I will always continue to work on it in the studio until it’s at the high standard I expect for my couples.

To book me for your wedding, please visit my website to submit an enquiry form at www.theliveweddingpainter.co.uk or email me directly at info@theliveweddingpainter.co.uk