Portraiture

Create a group portrait of your family, friends or class. Capture the facial expressions and poses that best represent the personality of each person.

You have been commissioned by someone in your class to create a portrait of them. Meet with them to discuss what they want to portray about themselves through the artwork. How can you put your own artistic stamp on the commissioned artwork?

‘One is never satisfied with the portrait of a person one knows’ –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1808.

Create a portrait of a person you know. What choices can you make about composition, colour, line, scale, surface quality, materials and techniques to enhance the viewer’s understanding of this person? Do you think it is a help or hindrance to know your subject personally? Discuss Goethe’s observation. Do you agree with him?

What makes someone famous? How does a portrait subject’s fame affect the way audiences respond? Discuss how a famous face determines the success of a portrait. Does portrait painting elevate a person’s notoriety or fame?

Organise an “Almost famous” exhibition featuring artworks and images of people who are important to you. Include a label for each and discuss why the subject is so valuable in your life.