A Self Portrait Painting In the Style of Modigliani for Art 10

Who was Modigliani? Self Portrait

Amedeo Modigliani Born in Italy in 1884 and died 1920 He was a painter, sculptor and draughtsman and worked mainly in Paris He studied the “masters” of the Renaissance – there is a linear grace in his work that is similar to Botticelli He was strongly influenced in the beginning by Cezanne (an important French Post-Impressionist) and his use of subtle colour harmonies and composition Modigliani was also influenced by Brancusi (a sculptor) as well as African masks He was consumed by portraiture overall – both in his sculptures and his paintings Modigliani led a rather self-indulgent lifestyle – he was addicted to drugs and alcohol, was considered a womanizer and had the reputation of being a bohemian – carefree and non-conformist He died of tuberculosis at an early age, and his mistress at the time (pregnant with their 2nd child) committed suicide the day after his death Information from the Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists

Some Artistic Influences… Madame Cezanne in Blue, By Cezanne Detail of The Birth of Venus, by Botticelli

More Influences Brancusi African Mask

What do you think the common visual characteristics of a Modigliani portrait are??

Characteristics of a Modigliani Portrait: Elongation – oval faces with long necks and noses Abstracted and simplified forms Rich use of colour – juxtaposes colours for emotional effects Well-defined use of line – strong sense of contour Flattened sense of space – not a strong sense of 3-D shading

Modigliani’s Mistress

How will YOU approach your own “Modigliani” self portrait?

The Modigliani Self Portrait Project… Artistic Process We will be reviewing the traditional proportion rules for the human face. Then, using a mirror, you will complete a “realistic” drawing of your face with some shading BUT using mainly contour line. Ask yourself, what are some key characteristics about my portrait that stand out? (ex. eye/nose/mouth/ear shapes, hairline, cheek bones, hair style, jaw line, facial expression, etc.) Should take only 1 class! Using tracing paper, you will re-draw your self-portrait thinking about Modigliani’s style – create a more oval face shape, elongate the neck, use simple shapes for eyes, nose, etc. Ask yourself what kinds of colours would work for your self-portrait painting and write them down. Will any colours you use be symbolic of your personality? Try to choose colours that juxtapose each other like Modigliani. Now it’s time to paint! Using both a mirror and your drawing, you will complete an acrylic self portrait in the style of Modigliani. Start with a simple background using colours you have noted above. You will be drawing with the paint ON TOP of your background. Ms. Walsh will provide demos of this painting technique when needed. Focus on Modigliani’s style WHILE STILL making this portrait reminiscent of you.  Have fun!