Created by Artist,
©L.A. Charnack/ CLINE

It all started with a dream to paint Dolphin Quarterback, Dan Marino, back in 1996.

L.A. Cline started to paint two Pastel Paintings of Dan Marino, one a portrait and one an action scene, entitled, ‘The Game’ measuring 38”X45”. These paintings were the spark that lit the fire to continue painting Sports Athletes. By going to the games, experiencing the head to head combat between players, the strategies and passion to win all fueled the Artist’s desire to paint a new kind of Sports Historic Painting capturing these moments forever.

L.A. Cline states, “For me our athletes are like gladiators, fighting against all odds to win and stay on top.’ A quote by Vince Lombardi says it all, ‘The harder you work the harder it is to surrender’.”

Creating the Super Bowl XXXIII Painting was an incredible feat for the Artist. L.A. Cline “Seeing John Elway actually make that last winning touchdown was a thrilling moment. To capture and immortalize that moment within a 45”X52” Pastel Painting, is a work of Art to behold.”

The Artist starts with a pencil sketch to scale before each painting. One painting as large as this one with so many details took six months to finish. All the creations of L.A. CLINE are drawn and painted by hand. The Artist uses a method of building layer upon layer of Pastel pigment developing the depth and details that unveils the “Super Realistic” quality of each legacy painting. This painting is a show stopper when displayed at events. It is also a part of the Artists personal collection.

The LACfineart.com website serves as an in-depth portfolio of the many facets of the Artist’s paintings that include: Corporate, Family, Florals, Landscapes, Pets, Wildlife, Entertainment and Sports. The original Nature Collection Paintings are reproduced as Fine Art Giclees. L.A. CLINE then embellishes each piece by hand to make it a one-of-a-kind work of Art. Each one looks like an original pastel painting that you can view in the Fine Art Store.

The most important detail of each painting is the emphasis placed on the likeness of the subject whomever or whatever the subject may be. Capturing the essence of the subject that the client adores brings each legacy masterpiece painting to a breath-taking conclusion.

For more about this painting and other sports paintings go to http://www.lacfineart.com/painting-gallery/sports-and-athletes

To LIKE this painting on Facebook go to https://www.facebook.com/portraitartist.fineart

L.A. Cline is a Master Pastel Artist
www.LACfineart.com
LAC@LACfineart.com
954-850-1056

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L.A. Cline, Sketch for
“Enchanting Bloom”
Pastel Painting

Why do people become Artists? Out of all of the career choices out there, why do some people feel they must create art as a profession? Certainly, there are safer, more financially predictable ways to make a living. What exactly is it that drives a person to make this “unpractical” life choice?

The passionate need to express one’s self, experiences, opinions and visions can manifest itself in many ways. While we are born with this need and taught by parents, teachers and others as children, it is the few of us who fight to keep and develop the skills as an artist. It seems as though as soon as we begin our lives as artists, those of us who choose to keep, harbor, nourish and hone the inner artist are often thought of as flighty dreamers. Yet the reality is, few people live with the kind of passion, dedication, integrity, and commitment that gives persistence and will to believe you are truly born an Artist.

The artist feels a marrow-deep need to document the legacy of being alive in this era, in this place, in this moment. The artist needs you to see the things that you are overlooking in your daily routine of “living.” The artist grabs you by the shoulders, stops you in your tracks, or alternatively shakes you out of your hypnosis to remind you that once the imagination is revealed it creates the wonderful world of Art.

Art dares you to feel the emotions you’ve been suppressing in favor of the passion and persistence that it takes to see through completing a creation. The artist is the brave soul who takes this challenge, to deliver to you this wake-up call with vulnerable abandon. The Artist is patient soul who is willing to spend months or even years to create a document of a single moment in time that says, “This is what it was like to be alive.” This may be a subtle expression of beauty that takes your breath away, or a loud and desperate cry for understanding that knocks the wind out of you.

There is a huge risk factor that drives the Artist to commit to this life. It is a vision in our dreams that radiates from your heart that even though it is a huge gamble you believe it must be created. So we as Artists gamble even in the midst of all the other art in the world that my art will be noticed because I believe in the impossible and believe I have to create.

L.A. Cline
Master Pastel Artist
LAC@LACfineart.com
www.LACfineart.com

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There is always that one special room within our homes and office spaces,  where we can express ourselves with the Art we admire and collect. As we are all very busy in our lives, the best moment is to take time away each day to view our Art from that special place. This gives us the chance to reflect on the true meaning behind the piece as well as why we admire and value the Art piece the way we do, for Art brings an added sense of joy and meaning to our everyday lives.

Art is a personal choice, for this is why the art at L.A.C. Fine Art is very diverse in subject matter. L.A. Cline likes to paint different subjects in order to accommodate the preferences of every art collector as well as help to keep the artists’ skills sharp.

Each new pastel painting is like creating a movie. First the artist or filmmaker starts with the idea, then the script or layout, next the characters or subjects are defined and finally every idea begins to piece together to create the finished film or painting. This process sounds easy, however there are times when the artist can  “Get Stuck.” When this happens, it often takes a while to bring new ideas to the painting and finish the piece, though it is well worth the wait. For, it is during these periods that the artist is struck with the best forms of creativity. Suddenly, the spark of genius comes to mind, and the artist is able to piece every part of the puzzle together for the finished painting.

Giclee Prints on Fine Art Paper & Canvas are great ways to own an image and capture the essence of any original painting. At L.A.C. Fine Art, we provide incredible prints that L.A. Cline personally enhances with pastel. In effect, these prints not only look like the originals, but also become a one-of-a-kind piece. Every piece is slightly unique with the artists’ different strokes and touch-ups on each Giclee. As a result, no two Giclee prints are ever quite the same. Every art collector has their chance to obtain their very own unique fine art pastel painting by L.A. Cline.

With the Grand Opening of the Fine Art Store and the Special Prices set up for the New Year, what better time then now to start looking at gift ideas for the Holiday Season. These special prices on fine art gifts will continue until January 1, 2014.

Invite yourself or the ones you love to experience the true Beauty each Pastel Painting by L.A. Cline has to offer.

L.A. Cline would love to hear your comments and feedback. To be in touch, leave your comments below or inquire and leave your feedback on the Contact Page

We cannot wait to send out all the lovely fine art gifts for 2013 and 2014. Every Giclee Print will be personalized with the special person’s name or your own name on the Certificate of Authenticity.

Happy Holiday Season and Here is to an even Happier 2014 with L.A.C. Fine Art Giclees (view the entire art online collection here)

Brianna Cook
Director of Business Development

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I have been a sports fan for many years now and have an extensive collection of paintings on my website in the Sports and Athletes Gallery.

http://www.lacfineart.com/portrait-painting-pastel-art-gallery.php

When I am commissioned to create a pastel portrait painting my pencil art sketches are drawn to the same scale as the finished painting.  These pencil art drawings are the blue print of what my clients should expect as far as what the subject looks like and the size.  It is a great way to start a portrait painting since it really relaxes my clients when they can see their painting as a portrait drawing and make corrections if necessary. I recently wrote an article in my blog about, “ Tips on How to Hire a Portrait Artist”.  It is a great read!

http://www.lacfineart.com/fine-art-blog/how-to-hire-a-portrait-artist-tip/

The original Flacco Pencil Art Sketch is 16”X20” and a “Work of Art”. This image was not a commission but is a part of my ever growing Sports Collection.  It is a dynamic image of Joe Flacco filled with determination and that winning stare.  It is the essence of a strong, young, Super Bowl Quarterback.

I scanned the original pencil drawing of Flacco to create this email.  This “Work of Art” bares the copyright symbol ©L.A. Cline, which means that no one can copy, sell, or distribute this image.  You can enjoy the art or inquire about the original.

Like me on Facebook    http://www.facebook.com/portraitartist.fineart?ref=hl

Written by:  L.A. Cline

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After finishing a Memorial Pastel pet portrait Portrait Painting of my clients’ beloved Blue Point Himalayan cat entitled, “Mr. Madison Blue”, I decided to continue with animal portrait theme as my first Masterpiece painting for the New Year 2013.

I created the new pencil sketch above of two Grevy Zebras shows a beautiful connection between Mother and her offspring. The Mother decided to lie down to rest on a hot summer’s day and her little offspring is approaching either for a loving nudge or perhaps reminding Mom it’s time to eat.  This is a natural endearing exchange; a beautiful moment to capture in a fine art rendering.

Drawing the different striped patterns of each zebra was very complicated, especially because of one zebra being in front of the other.  Every zebra has their own pattern and it is their signature of recognition.   The Grevy Zebras are an endangered species – the largest of the African Zebra’s being nearly seven feet tall, with the Males weighing almost 1,000 pounds.  The foals are browner in color and turn black as they become a year old.  As I studied these beautiful creatures for my artist rendering I noticed that the Grevy Zebras have unique characteristics such as: large heads; long necks; big rounded ears; and smaller, more delicate striped patterns, with more distinction between the black stripes.  Their stripes end to expose their bellies – where there are no markings.  Lastly, there is a stripe that runs from their head mane all the way to down their tails. They now are considered to live in the northern areas of Kenya and in a few southern regions of Ethiopia.

One interesting fact I found is that the Grevy Zebra was named in honor of Jules Grevy, who received this species as a gift.  He was the President of the Third Republic regime of France in 1882. As you may not know… the more research the artist does, the better one can achieve the creative readiness, mood and motivation, not to mention the insight needed to successfully capture and paint every aspect of what will be called a “Masterpiece”.

Now that I have done most of my research and finished this pencil sketch to-scale, I have the information I need to start the painting.

It’s always exciting starting a new painting. I have yet to name the painting, so if you have some ideas I would love to hear them.

Check back as the painting progresses and to  all a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Master Pastel Artist: L.A. Cline

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2.  When you decide on a portrait, whether it be Corporate, Family, Pet, Sports, Entertainment portraits or a special Landscape Portrait, ask about the process. When I first spend time with a client, they usually specify what type of portrait they would like. I then explain how I create a detailed pencil sketch to scale, prior to creating the actual painting.  By doing this, my clients can see the face, body, and details of what will become a final product – in the actual size of the painting. We can then all critique the sketch and make corrections, if necessary. I find this process is relaxing for my clients, and it makes the creation process even more fun.

3. After speaking with the Artist and providing all the detailed information necessary, the next question is where to display the completed painting. The Artist should physically see where the space – whether a room, courtroom, business or other area – and understand the lighting, size of the space, et cetera. This helps also guide the conversation about frame size, shape and color. I have longstanding relationships with local framers, who I work with when the time comes.  Since my portraits are pastel paintings, special care is required to create museum-quality environment for these Masterpiece works of art, and I personally supervise the framing process to ensure this.

4. Paintings take time to create so there is usually a contract to sign when hiring a Portrait Artist once all the details have been worked out. The final delivery date is important. If you are planning to have a portrait created for a particular event or within a certain timeframe, give yourself four or five months more time,  just to be safe when commissioning the artist.

5. At my first official meeting, I like to sketch and take photographs as guides for the very important pencil sketch to-scale, which I create prior to starting the painting. This way everyone has an idea of exactly what to expect.

6. Make sure the Artist does the research needed for each creation before you commisssion the artist. Everything has a history and there must be an open dialog to investigate why a certain color, vase, pet, or décor is something the client wants in the painting. Why did they use that color or what kind of cat is their beloved pet? Make sure the Artist is informed and asks questions that are important to you.

7. Every Artist has their own way of doing preliminary work before a painting. The objective here is to make the client feel comfortable and as excited as the Artist is to create this new Masterpiece. Not every Artist does a detailed pencil sketch to scale. I create one, so that a client can personally approve it before I start the actual painting. Whether my clients are around-the-corner or around-the-world, I keep them informed either by personal studio visits or by email.

8. All Portrait Artists are aware of the preservation of their work. The materials should be of the best quality and on acid-free surfaces.

9. Clients should see the painting at least twice before the Artist starts the finishing process. Once a painting is finished, and before I begin framing, I always have a viewing for my clients. After that, I scan each finished painting for my archives and along with the Original Painting I give an 8”X10” giclee of the work to my clients. I also have the ability to create very special Fine Art Note Cards of the painting, as a lovely way for clients to write their personal notes.

10. The most important thing about the portrait painting is that the painting looks like the subject. No matter what the background details show, the subject is what it’s all about. That is the key to a Masterpiece Painting. Portraits are a gift of love.

Written by: L.A. Cline, Master Pastel Artist, www.LACfineart.com

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Since then my client found a few more pictures and we have had more conversations about her beloved pet.  The eyes were the most difficult since you could hardly see his eyes in the pictures because of the flash camera that completely whiten his eyes. There were a few baby pictures that I could see some expression.  It also seems that Madison had a lot of expressions so I had to image and measure the size of his pupils in the baby picture and fit them within the mature face I am now painting.

My client and  I spoke about the expression she wanted and it seems I gave Madison the expression she wanted to see.  She wanted his eyes to be looking at you but but also feel that he is looking beyond you.

I am very happy to tell you that my client really loved Madison’s eyes and I am so happy I took the time to really research, measure to carefully create this all important part of this painting.  The detial of the eyes truly are the soul of the painting

Now I am blocking in his lower face, main, front paw and sketching out the rest of his body.  You can see now the face has become more three dimensional and I am looking forward to layering the fur for the rest of Madison’s body for the full effect.

Well, I have to get back to work now since my client is going to make Christmas Cards using Madison’s Painting as the image on the card.

Check back in about a week!!!!!!

Looking forward any comments you might have!!!

L.A. Cline

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As you can see looking through my portfolio I have created many different types of Masterpiece Works of Art that I have ben commissioned to do. I just finished a Self Portrait that I am so proud of and enjoy seeing every day. Some commissions are Corporate others are Family, Pet and yet others can be a particular Landscape. There are many different things that are dear to each person and that is why I create paintings. I want to enrich the lives of the people I touch.

Right now I am creating a Memorial of an exquisite Blue Point Himalayan Cat. “Madison” as he was called was a most beloved family pet that my client and dear friend misses endlessly. Since I never met “Madison” I asked for any and all pictures. We talked about “Madison” his temperament, attitude, his habits essentially his personality.

This detail of the painting is the beginning of blocking in colors for Madison’s face.  As the blocking of colors expands to include Madison’s whole body the layers of pastel will eventually become a beautiful realistic portrait.

Talking is a very big part of a commission. Watching my client express her inner most feelings really helps me to feel the closeness she feels to her beloved pet. Pictures help but talking really takes me to a level where I feel I will be able to capture my client’s feelings about her beloved pet. Then the research begins. I actually research the breed. Find out its particular characteristics that take me closer to this most treasured pet.

In addition I usually ask for favorite toys, fur, anything that would help me to create this very personal painting. I was very lucky that my client actually had some fur for me for color and texture.

I have created a pencil sketch to scale of “Madison” and with the approval of my client I am about to start the painting.

I find taking the extra time to actually draw a sketch or blueprint of the painting eases my client’s mind of what to expect. This sketch is very detailed and I am always open to critiques. I know that whomever or whatever I am creating my client knows the subject the best. The little touches that my clients bring to the piece are breathtaking. They are very small touches that bring the piece alive and completely personal.

Even as the painting goes through different stages to completion I like to keep in touch with my clients with visuals either meeting in my studio or my email. So by the end of the piece my client is completely familiar with their commission and cannot wait to have the original Pastel Painting framed and delivered.

The wonderful piece I have the opportunity to create now will take about 8 to 10 weeks to complete. After I finish painting the piece there is much more to do. I spray and retouch the piece for about a week. Then I have the piece scanned and the image printed so it matches the actual painting. This is done by very talented people I have worked with for many years. Once I approve the scan then the piece is ready for framing. Custom framing is another area I supervise once the frame has been chosen. The whole environment of the paintings is an Acid-Free for supreme preservation.

So if you are thinking of commissioning a Masterpiece Work Of Ark I would appreciate it if you would contact me.

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Since my last Blog I have put “Enchanting Bloom” aside to work on a new Memorial commission of a Federal Judge that will be on  permanent display in the Key West Court House which has been dedicated in his name.  This honor was bestowed upon me by his son.

Through personal dialogue with his son along with a few photographs of his Father I created an original realistic sketch to scale featuring The Judge in a three-quarter length pose from head to mid-thigh measuring about 40″X50″. This sketch took me a month to develop. I am very happy to say that the family members critiqued and approved the sketch.  I am now painting the portrait from which I rendered from a photo.

After many years of creating portraits without actually meeting the subject I knew my past experience was invaluable for this project.  It has been a joy right from the start.

There will be a press release and a new page added to my web site when the portrait painting is completed.  The painting will take about three to four months more to paint and custom frame.

After my client approves the press release I will be able to give you more details about this incredible, “Great American” I am painting.

Meanwhile, I will be updating “Enchanting Bloom” in my next Blog in about ten days.

Your comments are always welcome,

Sincerely,

L.A. Cline

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