Unfortunately Polaroid
pictures are not penitentiary legal. Several years ago it was
discovered that cash
and small amounts of drugs could be smuggled in them.
Since then, they have been banned from
Tennessee penal institutions.
How large should the images be?
Faces should be about the size of a nickel for best
results. Good light, good contrast (light and shadow),
and crisp images are preferred.
Are digital photos acceptable?
Digital photos can be used; however, photos that
have been enlarged digitally cannot be used. The
picture tends to
blur when it has been printed on paper. A picture that
enables the artist to clearly see the
detail in the face is
necessary to obtain the desired results.
Can "Red-Eye" be corrected?
If the eye color is known, it can be corrected on
the portrait.
Can flash-filled photos be used?
Flash-filled photos are not recommended. Too
much flash, where the subject is one solid color, is hard
to translate.
Are photographs of nudes acceptable?
The Tennessee Department of Corrections has
prohibited all forms of nudity. Even topless images are
forbidden, and drawing one would subject the artist to
disciplinary action.
Can black-and-white pictures be converted to color?
The artist can
convert a black and white to color and also a color picture to black
and white.
Can more than one picture be used to create a single portrait?
Photos can be co-mingled. The
artist can take images from different photos and put them together on
a
single portrait.
How many images can be included on a pastel?
It is best to put only one or two
images in a pastel portrait, certainly no more than three.
It's hard to keep
the faces clean when moving around that much chalk. In
contrast, the artist can put as many people in
pencil and charcoal
on one drawing as is desired.
Can caricatures be done?
Caricatures can be drawn in all three
mediums, pencil, charcoal, and pastel.
Can names be included?
Names can be written in ink on pastels but can't
be written with chalk.
Can animals and pets be drawn?
Pets and animals can be drawn.
Can buildings, structures, and cars be included?
Structures and cars can be drawn, but
since these drawing are being done freehand, it is extremely time
consuming. So much so that it would have to be priced separately
(even if it were just in the background).
What size portraits are produced?
The artist prefers working with 16" X
20" for pastels and pencil portraits but uses a 15" X 20"
cold press
illustration board for the charcoal portraits.
You can cut the bag and remove the picture. I would suggest cutting along three sides to prevent smudging, as the bag will smear the charcoal "if" it touches the drawing surface while being removed."
"Any professional frame shop would be able to apply fixative before framing. But if you are do-it-yourself-ers, I would suggest acquiring: Kyrlon #1306 workable matte Fixatif. It costs about $7 for an 11 ounce aerosol can and works wonderfully. Plus, it can be erased if applied in excess (which is rare). For best results, shake well and take the drawing outside. Stand 2 to 3 feet away from the drawing surface and - going left to right - lightly "mist" the drawing surface. Try to avoid spraying directly because you do not want the spray to build and run and you want to avoid big, droplets hitting the board."
What if my question is not here?
E-mail your question to: ghannye@aol.com.
Copyright © 2007 Inmate Portraits and Poems, All rights reserved.