I had the idea for doing this picture for some time and I knew the hardest part would be getting Dad to stick his two fingers up, below is a how I went about it.

 

The Scene.

 

Bill's sitting room.

 

Me:     “Dad, can I take your picture?  I want to do a painting to submit for the BP portrait  competition.”

 

Bill:     “Yes.”

 

Me:     “Can you stick your fingers up at the camera?”

 

Bill:     “No.”

 

Me:     “Go on, Dad, it'll be funny!”

 

Bill:     “No.”

 

Me:     “Please Dad, I could win an Oscar for this!”

 

Bill:     “A what? I thought you were doing a bleedin' painting?”

 

Me:     “...please Dad!”

 

Bill:     “No.”

 

Me:     “Look, Dad, I'm trying to capture a moment in time here.  You'll be immortalised and decades from now learned people will ponder the nuance and intricacies of your emotional state in this frozen moment.  (I'd read this somewhere the day before. Sounds good, doesn't it?)

Plus I could win twenty-five thousand quid!”

 

Bill:     “How much?!  Bleedin' ‘ell!”

 

Me:     “Please Dad, just do it.”

 

Bill:     “No.  It's rude.”

 

Me:     “I'll take you to the pub.”

 

Bill:     “How much of the prize money do I get?”

 

Me:     “We can talk about it at the pub Dad, now stick your fingers up!”