Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where
the intent is to depict the visual appearance of the subject. Beside human
beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject
for a portrait. In addition to portrait painting, portraits can also be made in
other media such as, etching, lithography, photography, even video and digital media.The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual
painted portrait. Portraitists create their work by commission, for public and
private persons, or are inspired by admiration or affection for the subject.
Portraits are often important state and family records, as well as
remembrances.
Historically, portrait
paintings have primarily memorialized the rich and powerful. Over time,
however, it became more common for middle-class patrons to commission portraits
of their families and colleagues. Today, the portrait painting is still
commissioned by governments, corporations, groups, clubs, and individuals.
A well-executed portrait is expected to
show the inner essence of the subject (from the artist's point of view) or a
flattering representation, not just a literal likeness. As Aristotle stated, "The
aim of Art is to present not the outward appearance of things, but their inner
significance; for this, not the external manner and detail, constitutes true
reality.The only expression allowable in great portraiture is the expression of
character and moral quality, not anything temporary, fleeting, or
accidental."
In most cases, this results in a serious,
closed lip stare, with anything beyond a slight smile being rather rare
historically. Or as Charles Dickens put it,
"there are only two styles of portrait painting: the serious and the
smirk."[3] Even given these
limitations, a full range of subtle emotions is possible from quiet menace to
gentle contentment. However, with the mouth relatively neutral, much of the
facial expression needs to be created through the eyes and eyebrows
Portrait painting can depict the subject
'full length', 'half length', 'head and shoulders' (also called a
"bust"), or ‘head’, as well as in profile, "three-quarter
view", or "full face", with varying directions of light and
shadow.
Among the other possible variables, the
subject can be clothed or nude; indoors or out; standing, seated, reclining;
even horse-mounted. Portrait paintings can be of individuals, couples, parents
and children, families, or collegial groups. They can be created in various
media including oils,watercolor, pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, pastel, and mixed media.
Sometimes, the overall size of the portrait
is an important consideration.Chuck Close's
enormous portraits created for museum display differ greatly from most
portraits designed to fit in the home or to travel easily with the client.
Frequently, an artist takes into account where the final portrait will hang and
the colors and style of the surrounding décor.
Self-portraits are usually produced with
the help of a mirror, and the finished result is a mirror-image portrait, a
reversal of what occurs in a normal portrait when sitter and artist are
opposite each other. In a self-portrait, a righted handed artist would appear
to be holding a brush in the left hand, unless the artist deliberately corrects
the image or uses a second reversing mirror while painting.
A successful portrait, however, can gain
the lifelong gratitude of a client. Count Balthazar was so pleased with the
portrait Raphael had created of
his wife that he told the artist, "Your image…alone can lighten my cares.
That image is my delight; I direct my smiles to it, it is my joy."
Some rules of Portrait Painting:-
· The weight distribution has got
to be convincing
· Provide focal points in your portrait composition
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