Creating Successful Portraits – June 2021
Straight From Our Community
CREATING A SUCCESSFUL PORTRAIT
We love to share about the artists in our community and their own personal stories and struggles when it comes to art. This month we have two portrait classes opening, and so we thought it appropriate to ask the community for tips on creating a successful portrait! Keep on reading to see who our featured artists are for the month, and what they strategies that they use when painting a portrait!
FEATURED ARTIST #1 - OKSANA ZHELISKO
KEEP UP WITH OKANA ON SOCIAL
OKSANA'S PORTRAIT TIPS
- Paint from life - Try to avoid painting only from photographs.
- Start with a light sketch - Start with a light outline. Everyone thinks they know the proportions of a face, but when you really study the human face, it is easy to realize that the eyes are not near the top of the head, they are more about half-way between the crown of the head and you chin. Get to know your face and make sure you measure the proportions of your face.
- Work general to specific - The best way to tackle something as seemingly complicated as a portrait is to keep it simple. Think of the biggest shapes and values – the lights and darks. Work loosely and lightly at first, developing the correct proportions and values, gradually working your way into a detailed painting. Do not go for broke on painting a realistic eye for instance, and then move on. Your whole painting should be at the same level of development at all times. This helps you to keep thinking about the big picture, instead of focusing on the small stuff.
FEATURED ARTIST #2 - CHANELLE RENÉ
CHANELLE'S PORTRAIT TIPS
- Use a proportional divider - this is a great tool that you can use for scaling your subject to different sizes.
- Sketch lightly - this is a strategy that I use to to capture angles and plane shifts.
- Relax and enjoy the process
KEEP UP WITH CHANELLE ON SOCIAL
FEATURED ARTIST #3 - EMMA PETITT
KEEP UP WITH EMMA ON SOCIAL
EMMA'S PORTRAIT TIPS
- Observation. This is everything...learn to recognise the lines and shapes that make up a face.
- Tonal value. The lights and the darks, these are what makes a 2dimensional surface seem 3D.
- Embrace mistakes. Symmetry is over rated, the little ‘mistakes’ are what create personality and interest.
TAKE A CLASS WITH EMMA ON OUR NETWORK!
Emma has taught for Let's Face It and also has two solo courses on our network. She created her very first online class a couple of years ago titled, FLUID FIGURES. This course is all about fun, loose figures! This year she has created another course for us titled MAKE A SPLASH. This class will be available July 7th and will be focused on creating loose and splashy portraits! The feedback from Emma's students is phenomenal. She is a community favorite and you won't be sorry signing up for one or both of her courses! MAKE A SPLASH is currently running the early bird special through July 8th!
Want to Be Featured?
Would you like to be a featured artist on our blog, or social media? We want to hear directly from our community on your own personal struggles with your artwork and/or art business. Each month we will have different forms for you to fill out, and these will guide many of our sharings over the year. Follow the button below to fill out our current form on topics that will be discussed over the next few months!
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Great advice ladies!
Just reading the little hints under each artist gives a wealth of knowledge
Thank you for opening up such a glorious set of teachings
I am so happy that you found the short tips super helpful! Sometimes it is the little things that help!