FitzArt

Welcome to FitzArt

My name is Siobhan Fitzgerald-Clark ... welcome.

I live in a small town in Mecklenburg-vorpommern in Germany, but my pictures travel world wide.

Why do I use pastels?

They have a history

They were used as far back as the sixteenth century by Leonardo da vinci and became increasingly popular amongst artists after the invention of glass in the seventeenth century which could protect the delicate dust particles. Pastel portraits flourished amongst European royalty and nobility after the visit of Venetian pastelist Rosalba Carriera to paris in the eighteenth century and of course, they were a beloved medium of the impressionists like Monet,Degas and Mary Cassat who loved their vibrant colours and ability to capture light and life in their pictures

They are beautiful

You will often hear artists say that pastels sing. Sometimes it is as though they have a life of their own before they even touch the paper and if they are used properly, a pastel portrait will have a beautiful glow and warmth, perfect for the soft dewy skin of a baby or child.

They are magical

Pastel portraits exude warmth and life . When I paint a pastel portrait, I am looking to capture the spirit and personality of whoever or whatever I am painting... A moment or a thought captured in time for generations to come.

The Process

First we plan

A portrait is not just a picture, a portrait is special .

I am looking to capture the spirit of the subject, a moment captured in time and treasured for generations to come. Send me a photo, or better still, a few photos so that we can talk about which will make the best portrait and what sort of portrait you are after. I can help you choose.

It is not always important for the subject to be smiling, look for photos which you love and which carry for you the spirit and personality of the child or animal. It is important that the photo is as clear as possible but send me your wish picture or pictures and let me see what I can do.

Then I paint

I love this part

and I will keep you updated as I go along, Sometimes I'll have questions about the subject or things I think may make the portrait work better as I go along.

I work with top quality pastels like Sennelier, Schmincke and Carand'ache on Clairefontaine pastelmat.

When the work is finished I send you a picture to make sure you love it.

I will mount it in Mountboard (the picture surround) so that it is ready to go straight into a frame. When the work is finished I send you a picture to make sure you love it.

I don't ask for any money in advance, it is important that we work together and trust each other. When the portrait is finished I will send you a photograph. This is your chance to request any changes and tell me what you think. If you are happy with the portrait, then you can make the payment

Then I deliver

... but I love this part the most...

I can't wait to deliver the picture to its proper home at this point.

I mount it in Mountboard (the picture surround) so that it is ready to go straight into a frame and cover it with a special paper so the pastel dust doesn't move.

Then, when I'm happy with it I will wrap it with great care and deliver it to it's new home..

Some artists spray their pictures with fixative, but for me I find it slightly alters the colour and special sheen of the work. This means you have to be careful not to touch the picture itself and put it as quickly as possible behind glass in a frame.
I am always here to help.

Popular types of portrait

Head and shoulders

These are very striking and fill a room. Size 50 x 70cm is my favourite. Send me a few photos and I am happy to discuss with you which I think will make the best portrait and why, but of course, your input is very important.

Little people...

For little children, a mixture of a delicate pastel face with a sketched body makes for a very sweet portrait. Size 40x50cm is perfect

Baby Head and shoulders

Babies have such great expressions whether they're laughing or serious and sometimes just the face makes for a great picture. This delicate study is also size 40 x 50 cm

Animal portraits are special too

Animal head and shoulders

Even in a classical portrait like this one, every animal has its own personality and expression and I spend as much time and care to capture it as I do with my human portraits

Animal full

Big personalities we miss

We know the habits, personalities and expressions which make our animal companions so special to us.

Louis sadly passed away recently but his humans told me he loved sitting under rhubarb leaves and had a favourite bow tie he wore to their wedding. They sent me a few favourite photos and chose the one which they found best showed his personality, this is what I came up with to show some of their favourite memories of him.

Here you see the difference in sizes.
The portrait on the left is 50 x 70cm
The portrait on the right is 40 x 50 cm

PRICES:

A 50 x 70cm Portrait costs 550€ - 650€
A child in plain coloured clothing costs 550€. Bear in mind that plain colours such as white are often very attractive on portraits and compliment the face. Complicated clothes add to the cost and can sometimes be distracting but they can also be fun. I am open to suggestions and we can chat about all options and wishes. I can also paint patterned clothing in a photo in simple colours on the portrait.

A 40 x 50cm head and shoulders of a child or baby costs 450€ - 550€.
Once again, a child in plain coloured clothing costs 450€. I can also paint patterned clothing on a photograph in one colour by request, but sometimes the clothing brings back a special memory so you want it to stay as it is. I am happy to chat with you about the options.