Miniature Paintings are not just “little pictures”. They have to conform to the permissible sizes laid down by the various Miniature Societies, for instance the overall size can be no more than 7 ins x 5 ins, which includes the external measurement of the frame, a person’s head in a portrait must not exceed 2 ins in height and representations of objects etc. should be no more than one sixth of their original size, to name just a few.

Brief History…

Miniature painting in Great Britain started early in the 16th century, and it is generally accepted that it originated from the illuminated manuscripts on parchment or vellum, and developed from these into a means by which a likeness of an individual could be carried around and shown to others, much in the way today’s photographs are used.

In the 19th century most portraits were painted on ivory, which has been substituted today with a synthetic material called ivorine, and gives a similar surface and translucency to work on, although other surfaces can be used, such as parchment or vellum, depending on the artist’s preferences.

The advent of photograhy meant that traditional portraiture declined, but the miniaturists’ techniques of using watercolours to hand-colour photographs meant that it was possible to acquire a “miniature” for less than a quarter of the price, hence the traditions and techniques were continued, albeit to a lesser degree than before.

Techniques and materials nowadays…

Commissions…

Depending on the reputation of the artist, and what their achievements are in exhibitions and the awards they have won, commissions can range from a few hundred pounds to well over two thousand nowadays, and depend greatly on the subject matter which has been commissioned.

More information…

More information, including its’ history and where the best collections are, can be found in Daphne Foskett’s “Miniatures Dictionary and Guide” (Antique Collectors Club) which should be held in most public libraries, and current exhibition details would be advertised in such magazines as The Artist or the Leisure Painter.

View more photos in the Miniature photo gallery

Techniques and Materials…

“Ivorine” is a surface commonly used by many miniaturists, as it has a similar feel to work on as ivory, but another popular base used now is “Polymin” which is produced in white and antique ivory, and has nearly the same translucent quality as the original ivory would have had. There are other variations, and special smooth papers, as well as vellum and even mammoth ivory which has been reclaimed from the Russian permafrost. All are acceptable and have been used for many years now by miniaturists of today, depending on their specific preferences.

Watercolours, oils, enamels, acrylics and more rarely, pastels, are all used to varying degrees, but the essential techniques are the same. Because of the smoothness of the surfaces and the fact that paints are not absorbed by them, the way to build up colour is to stipple or hatch the surface with layer after layer of tiny dots or strokes, using a very dry brush technique with just the right amount of water/medium to leave some pigment on the surface. It is a painstaking, but absorbing, process.

The next step

If you are considering commissioning a miniature portrait, I will require several good quality photographs of the subject, the clearer and larger the better, as this will help me with essential detail when reducing to the appropriate size. If you can email these to me (aza[AT]azaadlam[DOT]co[DOT]uk) then this would be desirable, or you can send me copies of your original photographs by post if you prefer. Based on the subject and the quality of the photographs, I will then be able to give you a price for the completed miniature.