Margaret Carter Baumgaertner: Painting the Corporate Portrait

This mammoth seven-disc set from professional portrait artist Margaret Carter Baumgaertner provides viewers with thorough step-by-step instruction for painting a corporate oil portrait—“from commission to delivery.” Following a brief introduction on the history of portraiture, Baumgaertner moves on to outline materials (including types of oils and charcoals and various brushes) before delving into her “Seven Step Method,” which covers initial drawing, establishing light and shadow, composition, color correction, three-dimensional faces, features, and finishing (with a separate disc devoted to painting the hands). Baumgaertner narrates as viewers follow the detailed progression from charcoal silhouette to lifelike composition in demonstrations of both “Head and Shoulders” and “Three Quarter” corporate portraits of a retired government executive. Additional chapters focus on marketing, framing, and delivery. Considering the fact that Baumgaertner's commissions list for as much as $15,000 each, this rather expensive series may well find favor with struggling artists (a knowledge of art fundamentals and vocabulary is assumed) looking to supplement their incomes. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Williams-Wood)