Ashley Goldberg is a very talented, multi-dimensional artist whose custom portraits are both beautiful and innovative. Goldberg takes an art form, the portrait, that has been around for thousands of years and succeeds at making both the process, which is truly collaborative, and the end product feel totally modern. A portrait of one starts at $200. Browse Ashley’s work on Etsy.
HA: How did you get started with custom portraits?
AG: I get so many requests for commissioned work and I wanted to offer it at a reasonable price with a reasonable turnaround time, so this seemed perfect. People are one of my favorite things to draw.
HA: How do you make color choices such as blue or lime-green hair?
AG: Well, people pick colors from my palette and I incorporate those where I feel they best go (shirt vs. hair). Sometimes they leave the colors up to me completely. Normally I have the photo of the person up while I color so I can see that it still looks like them even when I pick an outrageous color. Like the blues tend to register as dark hair, and the greens like blonder or medium hair colors.
HA: Do you incorporate the personalities of the couple into the portrait? Is the process personal?
AG: I try to, whether it’s a crooked smile i notice in their photos or a little glint in their eye.
HA: What do you think makes the portraits work so well?
AG: It’s still a challenge. Any time you work on a commissioned piece it’s nerve racking because it is so personal. But I have gotten to work with AWESOME people that make me excited to create their portraits. I think a good list of initial questions to ask them has helped immensely. Buckling down and really asking for the straight on photos that I need, instead of just struggling with whatever photos they send.
HA: What’s the funniest response you’ve gotten from one of the couples about their portrait?
AG: I don’t know about funny—normally they are really flattering and people use them for their wedding invitations or save the dates. Some couples have used them to commemorate their pets that passed away and that is so touching. One person did ask me if it took this many photos (I asked him for more) to create the Mona Lisa…
1 response so far ↓
1 Ashley G and Drew @ Philly’s Art Star // Jun 23, 2010 at 1:06 pm
[…] opened a great show, All My Little Friends, at Art Star Gallery in Philly. You may remember my interview with Ashley on her amazing custom portraits back in October. If you’re a fan of their work, […]
Leave a Comment