Two Michigan House Portrait Paintings for One Very Loyal Client
There's something very satisfying about seeing a familiar name pop up in my commission inbox, especially when it comes with two more houses to paint. These two 11×14 house portraits had very different personalities, but both gave me plenty to work with.
This client had commissioned two house portraits from me a few years ago, so it was especially nice to work with her again. Both new paintings were Style A, which means no full background — just the architecture and the details that make each house recognizable.
The first home is a white townhouse in downtown Detroit, recreated using some very old Google Maps imagery. The reference photos weren’t exactly overflowing with helpful lighting, so this one called for a little artistic license. The focus was really on the ink work: all the lines, architectural details and subtle shifts in shadow that give the building dimension. I added the faintest touches of yellow, blue and purple watercolor, too. The colors are difficult to see in photos, but in person they keep all that white from looking completely flat.
The second house, in Michigan’s Thumb region, was a totally different project. There was more color and texture to play with, plus a little landscaping along the front of the house. The siding, roof details and greenery gave this one a different kind of character, and the client requested one small but meaningful change: instead of the star above the detached garage, she wanted a basketball hoop to reflect how the property looked back in the day.
I love when clients come back for more paintings. There’s something comfortable about working together again when they already know my style and trust me to figure out the details. Every house has its own quirks, of course — but after two previous portraits, this client knew she was in good hands. And I knew I’d be spending a fair amount of time staring at tiny architectural details under my magnifying lamp. Some things never change.
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