Pablo Picasso’s Portraits

Pablo Picasso was a great artist who was well know for his “Abstract Portraits” What do you think abstract means? We will be creating our own abstract portrait!

Here is a photograph of Pablo Picasso You are about to see a sampling of Picasso’s art work and his many different styles of portraits he painted over the years…

Pablo Picasso was born in Spain in 1881 This is the house he was born in.

Picasso’s father was an art teacher and encouraged his son to paint and draw when he was young. He wanted his son to be a great artist some day.

Although Picasso was well know for his colorful, imaginative, abstract portraits he didn’t always paint this way. He changed his style several times during his life.

Have you ever had the blues? Picasso did. When his best friend died, and his paintings weren’t selling, he was almost starving to death. Picasso went through a “Blue Period” in which his artwork depicted a sad feeling. He used lots of blues and greens and the subjects of his work appeared lonely and sad.

Then, Picasso’s ROSE PERIOD came about. This was a happy time in his life. He was met a girl named Fernande and was happy in his relationship. He used lots of brighter colors like oranges and pinks in his work. You would see lots of circus images and happy subjects in his work. His Rose period didn’t last long because he found a more exciting way to paint.

Cubism was Picasso’s next style of painting that Picasso developed. This is what made him famous! Can you see why this style is called Cubism? Can you see the man in this painting?

Here is another Cubism painting. For hundred of years artists tried to make things look very real. Then Picasso came along and started to paint people and things that didn’t look the way they were supposed to look.

Here is a painting called The Three Musicians. Can you see the musicians? Can you see how Picasso’s Cubism style is starting to change?

Now you will see how Picasso’s Portraits changed again and really Became ABSTRACT! Picasso had fun making his paintings look funny. He moved the eyes, noses, and chins around on people.

Some of his portraits still looked like the person he was painting…

And some were very hard to recognize!

Picasso used many bright colors in his portraits. They were not realistic colors for portraits.

Now you will enjoy viewing Many more of his abstract portraits. Maybe you will get an idea for how you will create YOUR abstract portrait!

Here is a large sculpture Picasso created. You can see it in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Picasso created art other than Painting. He created drawings, sculptures, prints, pottery…even costumes and scenery for plays.

Pablo Picasso died in France in 1973 when he and his wife were having friends over for supper. He lived to be 92 years old, and was one our world’s most famous artists.

Now let’s make our own abstract portrait! Choose someone you know….a family member, friend, teacher, or someone famous! Draw the person in an abstract way….so that you can tell it’s a person but parts may be In the wrong place, turned the wrong direction, exaggerated, or out of proportion. Find things that may remind us of that person…their hair style, clothing, glasses, etc. Have fun being creative like Picasso!