Posthumous Portrait: Brooks

Posthumous Portraits

Brooks

This young man was killed in an auto accident. Of all the photos that the family had, the one that best represented his personality and expression was not a studio or formal photograph but a snapshot taken at the airport with his girlfriend at his side.


See this portrait in the gallery.

Using his knowledge and experience Tom was able to begin with this photo and create a painting of Brooks standing by himself outside in the sun near a favorite fishing spot. Tom referred to other photos to determine Brooks' hairline since he was wearing a hat in the airport photos. Tom painted the arm that had been blocked by Brooks girlfriend.

To create the background, Tom traveled to Brooks' family's farm in Georgia. There he arrived at the idea of Brooks standing near a stream on the property where he spent many hours fishing with his brother. Tom invented and adjusted the colors to create a realistic portrait of Brooks in this outdoor setting.


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