PORTRAIT PAINTINGS

Art with Power

What is a portrait?

Artistic representation of a person Usually shows just one person Face and expression is dominant Intent to display likeness, personality, and

mood of the person Often shows a person looking directly into a

camera to most successfully engage the audience

Used to document historical figures, primitive version of photography prior to the 1800s

Which one is a portrait?

Different Types

“The Girl with the Pearl Earring”Johannes Vermeer

Three-Quarter ViewHead turned slightly to the side

Realistic

Mood?

Different Types

Profile ViewOnly able to see half of the face

Mostly realistic

Mood?

Different Types

PhotographAbraham Lincoln

Full Face View

Realism, how?

Expression?

Importance?

Expressive Portraits

Mood or expression is more important than likeness

Can see the artist’s hand in the craft Unrealistic and fantastical

Matisse

Expressive Portraits

Francis Bacon

What you will be doing

Creating your own expressive self-portrait

First, we will practice drawing realistic facial features.

Then we will experiment with continuous contour drawings to loosen up.

Then create our own portraits using water-soluble oil pastels.

Skin color is not an option.