British portrait painting show how to#
British portrait painting show full#

It is true that historically, portraits of monarchs and royalty were always painted in reverential, elevated tones. Perhaps they didn't realize that Freud paints everyone, even himself, in this same honest but unforgiving manner. Many people criticized Freud for painting an 'ugly' portrait of the Queen, rather than a flattering one. Not too long ago he landed himself in hot water amongst the British public for his painting of the Queen. Says Freud, 'I paint people not because of what they are like, not exactly in spite of what they are like, but how they happen to be'. She handles the paint in such a way that her paintings look as hefty and weighty as the subjects she depicts.Īnother artist who paints people as they are, pretty or not, is Lucien Freud. For instance, a private collector who is commissioning a special portrait might prefer to have their flaws 'removed', rather than imprinted in pigment for posterity.Ī great example of an artist who is not afraid to paint people with less-than-perfect bodies is Jenny Saville, who paints huge portraits of overweight people from various angles. It all depends on what the artist wants to achieve with the work, and also what they plan to do with it. Conversely, an artist might 'kindly overlook' the person's flaws, correcting imperfections and presenting an idealized view of a person. Artists may sometimes even exaggerate a person's characteristics, good or bad, to make a caricature of the person. Another example of an unconventional pose for a portrait is Gerhard Richter's painting of his daughter, Betty, in which she is turned away from the viewer.Īn artist might choose to depict a person exactly as they are - flaws included, so that every wart, pimple or scar is clearly memorialized in paint for all to see. There have even been portraits showing just the back of a person, such as Andrew Wyeth's painting, Christina's World.

The person can be facing straight ahead, depicted in 1/4 turn, captured in profile, or be turned 3/4.

British portrait painting show how to#

Another example is this fun and easy Henna Hand Designs Art Project, which shows you how to make a unique self-portrait featuring your hands!

A great example is this colored pencil drawing by Alan Magee, which shows a beautifully detailed portion of a woman's braid, with the rest of her profile fading into a ghostly silhouette. A portrait can even focus on a specific part or region of the person's body, cropping out the rest.

British portrait painting show full#

Composition, pose and sizeįor starters, portraits can show the full figure of the person, or just the head, or any combination in between. These are just a few examples of choices that artists make when composing a portrait. What do the details in this artwork tell me about this person's life?įacial expression - Does the sitter look happy, sad, contemplative, sarcastic? Lively or tired? Peaceful or angry? Friendly or menacing?Įach of these choices will effect the way that the portrait is perceived by the viewer. When looking at a portrait painting, ask yourself: Portrait paintings can reveal the sitter's place in society, their hobbies or occupation, or aspects of their personality or beliefs. The artist will carefully craft visual clues to tell the story of the person in the artwork. In this way a portrait painting or drawing can function as a biography - telling the story of that person's life. Such a portrait painting causes the viewer to wonder about the person depicted. Sometimes the person in the portrait can become iconic, representing a wider group of people from a specific period in time, who share something in common.Ī strong portrait captivates viewers, draws them into the painting, and engages their attention. What the portrait reveals may not be completely obvious - sometimes it can be cleverly implied through a certain expression or pose, an included object, or the artist's use of color. A good portrait is not just a visual representation of a person it will also reveal something about the essence of the person. Portraits are effective and compelling when they tell us something about the person.