Silverfish Painting

Nigel is a silversmith who frequents my local pub in London. His presence and energy is encapsulating so i decided to capture that in this painting. He used to be a fisherman for over a decade and now works as a silversmith hence the name 'Silverfish'. I think hands tell such a unique story for everyone and with all Nigel's tattoos it speaks volumes of the interesting life he has had. When i was taking the photo of Nigel's hands in my studio, i was adjusting my camera when i noticed him naturally holding his hands like this, i told him to hold that pose and took the photo. It made for a more organic, natural feel but also a more classic composition. I used the highest quality 24ct gold leaf in this painting to create a sharp contrast between the black oils at the bottom of the painting which is the only black used in the whole painting and therefore makes the hands stand out more and keeps them vibrant.