I have been creating 'Customised Letters' for a couple of years now: characterised by the white letter surrounded by many iCosini (= little things) details, no two are alike. Each brushstroke tells a story and transforms memories into unique works. In this article I try to show you the detailed process that gives each Personalised Letter its character.
1. Gathering ideas and communicating with the client
Personalised Letters from iCosini come to life from very personal, almost intimate conversations. They are usually created as birthday, Christmas, birth or christening presents. I call them Personalised Letters but, when I think about it, they are true friendship portraits, or love portraits. They are symbolic portraits of a relationship between two people.
In the first phase of creation, I listen to the person who commissions the painting as he or she tells me personal stories, usually on the phone or with voice messages. He tells me about his relationship with the person who will receive the painting: their experiences, holidays spent together, laughs or adventures. He explains to me what he likes most about the person who will receive the painting. He underlines what warms his heart and as he tells it to me, he gets emotional. A laugh escapes him as he thinks back on those memories.
From these intense stories I create the symbols that will animate the painting, becoming the main part of a conceptual portrait. It is the summary of secrets shared between the giver and the receiver: often only the two of them know the deeper meaning of these symbols, and I simply put them down on paper.
2. Processing the composition: a shared work
For this phase I rely on digital... creating a sketch digitally, using Procreate on iPad, is much easier. It allows me to be agile to change the position of the various elements of the drawing, enlarge or shrink them, or make variations.
This is the stage where feedback and changes are easy to make, and it lays the foundation for what the finished painting will be. I correct the sketch together with the client and we adapt every detail, making each collaboration a co-creation experience.
3. The magic of watercolour paper and mask application
The coarse grain of watercolour paper is the stage on which true creation takes place. Every imperfection becomes a hallmark, an indelible mark of authenticity.
The application of the mask is a moment of suspension, where I have to imagine precisely which points of the drawing will remain white, or very light in colour.
Then I apply the coloured watercolour: the colours, inspired by the client's emotions and preferences, blend to create first a background, then more and more details.
In this photo you can see the mask is still applied: the M is a dull blue, which is precisely the colour of the mask. This way I am sure that this covered part will remain white.
When the watercolour mask is removed, the parts that were covered remain white. It is now up to me to decide whether to leave them white, or to colour them with watercolour of another colour.
4. Final details and brilliant touches
Those who follow me know: glitter cannot be missed. They are highlighted with shiny watercolour or gold leaf. I try to be elegant and discreet, avoiding being gaudy... Twinkling stars and glittering fish bring the painting to life, adding a magical element that captures the attention and imagination.
5. Delivery of the painting... and your reactions
The moment of delivery is fantastic: I always send photographs during creation, to share the evolution of the painting... but it is only when you physically receive the framed Letter that you can admire it and appreciate its true colours and details.
I always deliver the painting with a certificate of authenticity: it certifies that this is a unique, custom-made piece.
I also try to take care of what is around the painting: I add a thank-you card, a business card with my contact information, and pack everything in a simple but neat package.
I hope that with this post you have felt the heartbeat that fuels each work. Each Personalised Letter is not just a painting, but a portrait full of symbols and emotions.
Do you have any questions? Would you like to deepen one or more parts of this process? Or would you also like to have a Customised Letter? Contact me!
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