Art I Portrait Art Kyffin Williams– ‘Fusilier Dean’

Joseph Chesters – ‘Portrait of James Bentley’ A portrait is an image that is meant to visually represent a specific person.

During Roman rule in Egypt (about 50 to 250 A.D.) the artisans adopted realistic painting techniques from the Greeks and Romans and combined them with their own ancient mummy coffin decoration traditions. Detail of a mummy with an inserted panel portrait of a youth, Roman period, about 80–100 A.D. Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ancient Portraits

4 Pompeii and the Cities of Vesuvius Portrait of a husband and wife; Pompeii,Italy AD A Roman marriage portrait is displayed here with the man holding a scroll and the woman holding a stylus and a wax writing tablet. These portraits suggested high education even if it wasn’t true of the subjects. The heads are individualized to the subject’s features, not simply standard types.

Portraits were usually commissioned to artists by the powerful and rich. Artist would give visual clues to show the subjects wealth and prestige.

Sometimes artists lie… Many of the portraits were idealized, which means the artists made the person look more beautiful than he or she might have been in real life.

John Singelton- Copley Master Portrait Painter Painted individuals from colonial America

Copley painted his subjects with extravagant objects around them. He painted exotic animals. He showed these animals being “domesticated” by the subject, making that person seem dignified.

Hero Portraits Portraits of important people in positions of power. These people were painted in a style that would show heroic status. These portraits were very popular in America. Charles Wilson Peale George Washington Crystal Bridges

José Maria Obregón, The Inspiration of Columbus, 1856 How does Columbus appear in this portrait?

Dorthea Lange Migrant Mother Portrait photography- Some of the first subjects in photography were people.

The camera can say anything the photographer or sitter wants to say. Richard Avedon

Vincent Van Gogh A self- portrait is an art work made by an artist, using their own image, and themselves as the subject matter.

Self Portrait Frida Kahlo

Self Portrait Pablo Picasso

Self Portrait Mary Cassatt

We started to see their emotions…………… Gustave Courbet, Self Portrait (The Desperate Man), c

Self Portrait Kathe Kollwitz

Self Portrait Andy Warhol

We see their personality Roger Shimomura 1939-

You will create a portrait! self-portrait a friend or family member a complete stranger

The goal of this assignment will be to create a portrait that is interesting and artistic, rather than just informational.

Although these portraits are drawn well, they are not expressive. The compositions are not exciting and basically pretty boring.

Take a look at this self portrait again. How has the artist made this more interesting?

What about in this one?

These images show the viewer looking straight ahead. Are they still dramatic and interesting?

Be creative with how you approach a portrait. Your composition is important, and it’s not always the front of the face that creates a successful work of art.

Don’t be afraid to make expressive marks.

The importance of value should never be overlooked.

Using contrast by putting white next to darks creates a dramatic effect.

You may also think about adding props to your portrait to help convey a message.

Tips for Success  Do not take “mug shots” (straight on views)  The background should be reflective of the subject, or tell a story.  Consider props (hats, hooded sweatshirts, etc. details …  You need lighting, this creates values.

Lighting in photos Avoid using the flash to prevent red eye. Indirect light makes soft and beautiful pictures. It also makes one side of your subject's face light and the other shadowed, which creates strong emotion and mood.