1. Dramatic, High Contrast Portraits
Chiaroscuro
Dramatic, High Contrast Portraits

2. What is chiaroscuro?
Chiaroscuro is an Italian word, literally meaning “light-dark”.
In art the description refers to clear tonal contrasts which are often used to suggest the volume and modeling of the subjects depicted.
The technique originates in the Italian Renaissance.
Three-dimensional volume is suggested by the gradation of color and the division of light and shadow shapes (often called ‘shading’).
Particularly popular during the Mannerism & Baroque periods but still often used today for a highly dramatic composition.
Useful for creating a sense of ‘high drama’ in a work of art.

3. Artist’s using chiaroscuro
Caravaggio
Rembrandt
Van Honthorst
De la Tour
Rubens
Joseph Wright of Derby
Film: Stanley Kubrick

4. Artist’s using self-portrait
Rembrandt
Cindy Sherman
Chuck Close
Frida Kahlo
Albrecht Durer
Van Gogh
Rubens

5. Examples of portraits
Mona Lisa
Da Vinci

6. Photograph
Artist unknown

7. Chuck Close Self-portraits

8. Cindy Sherman Untitled film stills

9. Rembrandt Self-portraits

10. Caravaggio
Crucifixion of Peter

11. Judith Beheading Holofernes

12. David with the Head of Goliath

13. St. Jerome

14. La Vocazione di San Matteo

15. Georges de la Tour
Magdalen with the
Smoking Flame

19. Baglione Sacred & Profane Love

20. Wright of Derby The Orrery

21. Van Honthorst The Matchmaker

22. El Greco Allegory, Boy Lighting Candle in Company of Ape and Fool

23. Stanley Kubrick Film still from Barry Lyndon (many scenes were shot using only candlelight)

24. Project 5 – High Contrast Self-portrait
For Project 5 you are to use the technique of chiaroscuro to create a highly dramatic self-portrait.
You may work from a photo for this assignment. Use candlelight or any kind of strong and focused light source. Do not use overhead lighting.
Point the light source directly at one side of your face so that the other side is cast in dark shadow. Using a room that is also mostly dark will help create more chiaroscuro. It should appear as though part you your face is emerging from the dark. Make it dramatic and mysterious!!! If needed, use Photoshop to increase the contrast, but do not rely too heavily on it as it will become too unnatural.

25. Notes This project should be approximately A2.
Use white illustration paper or illustration board.
Media options: oil pastels, chalk pastels, charcoal acrylics, watercolor, colored pencil
DUE: Thursday November 3rd, before lunch. Projects handed in after lunch will not be graded and will receive a 0%.

26. RWB Last RWB check is Monday Oct. 31st
Relate this last RWB work to the portrait project.
Experiment with color, contrast, media, portrait techniques, artists’ style (do not only paste in pictures from other artists, try to re-create their style/technique within your book.)
HL= minimum 2 pages, SL= minimum 1 page

27. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiaroscuro