One thing I love to do the most is paint portraits. It’s a challenge and I live for the challenge! We know this right? I say it all the time.
This particular mixer is done for a burger event. To me nothing says 50’s more than the original Car-Hop girl. Try finding one that isn’t completely cheesy looking. It was very difficult. I can create my own, but I do love a great reference because it allows me to see the natural shadows, proportions, and just makes life easier and takes design time down.
After hours of Google searches I found my lady! However, she’s an actress and it was originally shot for Vanity Fair!!! You know, the major publication that covers all things fabulous!!!
So in order for me to do my thing I needed permission from the photographer who shot the image. I contacted the talented Michael Elins via email and inquired if I may use his image as a reference to my current project, because it is PERFECT!
He wrote me back shortly thereafter, and apparently he started his career as an illustrator and thought it was pretty cool idea. The only thing he asked in return from me, was to provide him with high-resolution images of the final product! No problem! You got it man! 😀
Her face is no longer than an inch and a half by an inch wide! For me, I consider that small. The last one I did was even smaller…Detail at that size is very difficult to render and can sometimes take longer than a normal sized portrait.
All images below are provided by the lovely and awesomely talented Heather Lynn.
This mixer is to reflect the event, so the background is kept simple and clean and comes from the original graphics of their flyer.
Un Amore Custom Designs 
I love everything about this mixer! The funny thing is that when I was thinking the other night about what design I’d like to have on a mixer, it was something similar to this except that she’d be holding a cupcake and to have another larger cupcake on the other side, exactly like this one with the hamburger. You are so talented and I can’t wait until I can send my mixer off to you:)
YOU ROCK!! This ROCKS!! AMAZING WORK! HIGH FIVE!