Meet Ian
Ian Warr is a realist portrait and figurative painter based in Buckinghamshire, UK. He creates oil and acrylic portraits that capture the essence of his subjects.
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Ian's art is a reflection of his passion to paint lifelike and emotive portraits that leave a lasting impression.
His approach reflects a desire to reveal truths through what he sees and how he expresses it on canvas or paper.
At the heart of this endeavour lies a storytelling process which Ian has explored in numerous ways during a career spanning journalism, TV production, digital innovation and corporate strategy.
Ian is a member of Buckinghamshire Art Society.
Why portraiture?
Never before in history have we made it so easy to capture an image. Digital imagery is all around us, allowing us to preserve a memory, capture a moment and remember a face. Whether done as a quick snap or a composed picture, digital imagery can be powerful and impactful. So what relevance does portrait painting have in today’s society? And why should we value it?
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Whenever I visit an exhibition, a museum or a show, there’s something special about portraiture that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The power of the painted picture goes far beyond the digital image. It captures not just a fleeting moment but it interprets a period of time when the sitter and the painter get to know one another and build a relationship.
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Painting is also the literal and expressive human endeavour of putting paint onto canvas in a way that communicates what the painter sees. For me, there isn’t any metaphysics in what results. It’s not like painter looks into the soul of someone! But the way an artist interprets and curates what they see is an important and valuable exercise, and it’s why I think portraiture really matters.
Memories that matter
We are all surrounded by family, friends and people who are important to us. Yet the pace of life is so fast, it sometimes feels like we miss the moment before children grow up, relationships evolve and others sadly pass away. Are you looking for a special way to stop and capture an image of those who matter most?
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I would be honoured to paint a portrait for you. I promise to make the experience of being painted easy and enjoyable. We’ll start with a chat so we can get to know one another. Later, I may take some reference photos using a method that’s a bit different from just taking a snap on a camera.
Thereafter, the painting process can happen with the sitter and/or with me working alone in my studio.
Each portrait is priced based on a number of different factors including composition, number of people, any specific details, and so on. By way of yardstick, a simple head and shoulders piece normally takes up to five days of my time. If you’d like to know more, please get in touch using the contact form.