A Guide To Painting Portraits
If you want to paint someone’s portrait, you will find it to be a very specific project as you are trying to capture the essence of someone specific. The technique and the style of how you present the subject matters a lot in your painting and should therefore not be distorted or incomprehensible. Learning how to paint portraits would mean a different curriculum than painting abstract or landscapes, so it is important that you know certain tips and techniques so that you have an idea on what to do and how to make your portrait the best it can be. A lot can be accomplished with just a handful of cheap modern art supplies and a vision of what you want.
Observing the Subject…
Painting a portrait requires you to really look at your subject and see what makes he or she unique and worth painting. It is important that you develop your observation skills because you will be deciding on what to do with your subject and how to manipulate him/her and his/her surroundings to make a good painting come to life. Do not attempt to get every last inch of the person you are painting onto the canvas. There is no need to reproduce each line or wrinkle. Choose only the striking elements of the person’s face for inclusion.
People Painting…
A lot of art students who learn to do portraits, whether with an oil or acrylic based paint set, have a problem with the skin of the subject. Even beyond that, they must also study the finer points of light and shadow if they want to draw the image out of the canvas. With regard to mixing paints for skin tone, there is really no specific formula that you can use since people come in different skin tones and textures. The only solution is experimentation until you come across the perfect concoction to fit the person you are painting. Other aspects of a person that can take time to get right are areas such as the ears or the upper part of the nose. Like I said, experiment and try out different ways on how to paint the body and the face to be able to come up with your own formula for paint mixtures and your own style in painting features.
A Simple Backdrop May be Best…
Your subject might be sitting in front of something a little too busy. If you are planning on adding this background to the portrait, be sure not to put too much detail in because it will distract you and you will suddenly realize your focus isn’t on the subject anymore. What you can do in addition to this is to craft the colors that surround the person with the goal in mind of highlighting him. As it is with photographic works, if you are capable of properly implementing areas of light and shadow into your paintings, they will most certainly have a more pronounced effect on anyone who sees them. Making this real impact on a viewer is what every artist strives to achieve, no matter what the chosen subject may be. It’s what makes creative endeavors so rewarding. Where else can you achieve such a response using nothing more than a quality cheap stretched canvas and a handful of other low-cost supplies.
Tags: art, painting, portrait painting