Portrait Artists: Introduce yourself! please show your work.

Brad Buchel · Last edited by Brad Buchel on Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:34 am; edited 1 time in total

If there are any portrait artists out there, please feel free to introduce yourself and link to your website... Smile

(To introduce yourself you should start a new thread here, or alternatively in the Art Studio section)

For more Painting Portrait Artists in Australia see:
http://www.art-search.com.au/artists/painting_portraiture/

BB

marking · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 25 Location: Melbourne

Hello to any portrait artists out there. Brad asked me to introduce myself here a while ago. I hesitated for so long because although my work in purely figurative and portrait based I really lack confidence in the quality of my portraits. I am a perfectionist and don't really consider myself a portrait artist worthy of public display. However moving past my own insecurities, my website is markingart.com.au please feel free to take a look at be as brutely honest with me as you like. It is updated regulary so check in every now and then.
One of the weirdest things about my work I think is that although I love drawing people I am not a real people person.
I love observing people and drawing them and usually reject any suggestion that I should try a different genre in order to push my art career forward. But I am the definition of intrevert and really don't enjoy hanging around or talking to people much. This introduction makes me sound very odd but thought I would share that as I think it adds a different dimension to my work.
Razz

A couple of artists that have pushed me along the way through their own images would have to be Mike Parr, Lucien Frued and Frank Auerbach. I recommend books by any of these artists for anyone interested in portraiture.
I think these artists have had such an influence on me because they seem to share my passion for trying to obtain the emotion of the person rather than a photo like representation of the person.
The work on my website at the moment doesn't really reflect the influence these artists have had on my work but I will endevour to update the website with more examples soon.
Would love to talk to anyone else about figurative art or portraiture. And hear if anyone has ccome up against hesitation from galleries to show portraits.
Most Art teachers I have had over the years have tried to persuade me to try a differnet genre but I cannot get rid of my obsession for people! weird huh???

Julie · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 104 Location: Woodford

Hi Marcia,
I think your work is lovely, portraiture. I can understand a lack of self confidence, I think we all feel that sometimes. But hell, sometimes we have to just put it out there! I've done only a few comissioned portraits and don't yet consider myself a portrait artist, but like you I just luv the human form and the expressive qualities of the human face. I always told myself, even if I wasn't successful with my career as an artist, that I would have an entry into the Archibald before I was 50. As a late starter and only 16 years to go, I'm seriously thinking about doing it sooner. Lucky I have a relative who would make the perfect subject, and who fits the criteria, but if I don't do it now, he may not be here when I'm 50!
I think your work is worthy of development and classifying you as a portrait artist. Doesn't matter if your shy, your an artist and society's open for you to be as strange and eccentric as you like.
I can't break my obsession from the subject either, nor do I think we should, we can't all be landscape artists, quite frankly for me the subject is boring. People excite me.
P.S. If you put your web site in your signature panel under your profile, others can see it and connect to it each time you make a post. Just learnt that myself, thanks to Brad.
Julie

minxdragon · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 2596 Location: Melbourne

I can understand being a perfectionist! I thought for years that I wasn't good enough. Portraits and Nudes are fun- I think the human body is the most beautiful thing in the world.
_________________
'A vision's just a vision if it's only in your head, if noone gets to see it it's as good as dead- it has to come to life!'

Website: http://www.jennierosenbaum.com
Blog: http://jenniespalette.com

Julie · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 104 Location: Woodford

I agree Jennie
Julie

Brad73 · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 2206 Location: Tamworth

Me too. I agree... And its bloody hard to draw.... Smile

_________________
B73
A funny thing happened to me on the way over here tonight............

Julie · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 104 Location: Woodford

Sorry Brad73, I don't particularly think it is a hard subject to draw, it's the most familiar subject to us all. I think it's our logic telling us it's hard to draw with a preconcieved idea of what a person looks like, ie a person has two eyes, a nose and a mouth and this is what they look like, when in actual fact if you study the light and the shapes and forms infront of you it's quite simple. It takes practice, like anything.

One of the best ways for me to practice portraits is to use willow charcoal, not the horrible compressed stuff, yuk. Firstly cover the area you wish to draw on with charcoal, a solid area of the stuff. I like to gesso some light natural colour card in preparation.(allow to dry first) Using a hard rubber, (not the kneadable type) rub out areas of light that you see. Constantly shift your eyes back and forward from the subject to the page until it seems to 'match' up. If you rub out too much bring in some more charcoal to the area. You can deepen areas with more charcoal. The base charcoal is your mid tones, your just adding light (with the rubber) and shade, not line(with more charcoal). This forces you to look at the subject more closely, getting a more acurate result. Try it and let me know what you think. I'll have some samples on my web site when it gets built.
Have fun,
Julie

Ricardo · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 826 Location: Blue Mountains

You have inspired me to stick in there with portraiture and the human form.

thank you

"I don't particularly think it is a hard subject to draw,...I just luv the human form and the expressive qualities of the human face.." says Julie.

"I hesitated for so long, ..I ....lack confidence in the quality of my portraits." says Marcia.

macrobertson · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 117 Location: other

I identify with what has been said here so far, especially about the lack of confidence... among creative types the percentage of HSPs (Highly Sensitive Persons) is quite high.
I consider myself a potential portrait artist, and as a totally self taught and untrained person I'm trying to create the opportunities to develope the skills in this area.
Last year I organized a portrait group with the local art society, some 2 hour Sunday morning sessions with volunteer models. This lasted for about 10 portraits... until the society had to vacate it's premises.
With the confidence gained from that, I started doing portraits in the local craft market which is held in an outdoor mall on Sundays. But the onset of winter has made that impractical now... I'll see about continuing this when the warmer weather begins in the spring, maybe on a fortnightly basis.
I work full time, don't have a studio and recent household changes have made it difficult to do much at home.
What do other aspiring portrait artists do for practice?

Mac

Julie · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 104 Location: Woodford

Life drawing classes are great practice Mac. Until 6 months ago I hadn't drawn in a life class since uni 13years ago. I had two weeks intensive course in Toowoomba at the McGregor Summer School. Fantastic experience. Now having moved back to Brisbane after living outback for 6 years, I found inexpensive untutored life classes once a week at night. If you have access to such things where you are, I would recommend it. Sometimes everyday life can get in the way, but if you love what you do, do it. That's what brings us joy and confidence in life, well it does to me anyway.
I would usually wish everyone good luck with there endevours, but we are each creators of our own destinies and experiences, so just be happy instead of lucky.
Julie

minxdragon · Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 2596 Location: Melbourne

I used to sit in the mall (usually the food court) and draw quick sketches of people. this is tricky but it really helps to find the spark that makes a person who they are and to train the eye to quicky see the elements that make a persons face individual.

The trick is to do it surrepticiously!

Beauty is in the imperfections of a persons face and body I think.

as far as being a perfectionist goes - its taken me ages to try to break myself of being a perfectionist - I am not sure i am there yet, but freeing up from it allows the creative process to flow more freely.

I found using large brushes and pallette knife were good for freeing up my eye and arm. plus they are fun and relaxing.
_________________
'A vision's just a vision if it's only in your head, if noone gets to see it it's as good as dead- it has to come to life!'

Website: http://www.jennierosenbaum.com
Blog: http://jenniespalette.com

Julie · Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 104 Location: Woodford

Another good technique to use to 'free' you up is using ink and a twigg or branch from a tree as your brush. And fingers of course. I used this alot at the TAFE in Boggabilla with an indigenous group of students, they loved it and we got some fantastic works out of it. A really worthwhile exercise.
Julie

macrobertson · Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Posts: 117 Location: other

I totally agree with the life drawing idea. I'm part of a regular oncea week, open ( untutored) group, (used to be 2 groups and may be again if the art society can get theirs running again) and focus on the face when I can.
to see our annual exhibition[url] http://www.geocities.com/fruitsofthefigure [/url]

marking · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 25 Location: Melbourne

It's great to hear that many others feel or have felt a lack of confidence in the art world. How does one draw the line between self confidence and arrogance? It's such a fine line. I want to show my confidence because deep down it is there but I don't wish to appear arrogant.
Can anyone recommend a good portrait book or book about a particular artist who has tackled portraiture?
I am also looking for a book or any tips that people might have when painting portraits in oil in particular how to get the perfect flesh tone.

I find I have fine tuned my portrait drawing by drawing myself over and over again. Slightly obsessive but it seems to have worked. In order to keep practicing I draw a portrait every night even when i am sitting in front of the tv. I sometimes sketch my girlf friend but often I just draw from photos and the newspaper. It helps develop your portrait drawing skills and the perfection of proportion even when you can't get to a life drawing class. Obviously life drawing is the best because your portrait will have a different feel when drawing from life and it is more challenging but during down time when you are stuck at home to a couple of sketches a night it keeps your skills fresh.
I also like to use lots of different mediums and like Julie suggested use things like twigs and stuff to free up the drawing.
One of the best things my art teachers in late high school did for me was hand me a couple of house painting brushes and said I couldn't use anything else. It changes your whole perspecitve even if you are not that fond of the end result.
I am really loving reading your posts, keeps me inspired and motivated.
This site is great.

TeAnne · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 126 Location: Perth

TeAnne, portrait artist. I love to paint a face and don't get to do it often enough.
I probably should just practice on my own face. Rembrandt did Smile

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