Bags of Character
Getting a likeness is half the battle… but can you really convey personality in a portrait?
Whether working from life, from photos, or from both, the pose has a big role to play. We spend very little time grinning, so why be that in a portrait?! A direct gaze is a great way to command the viewer’s attention, but a profile can draw you into the subject’s world. People at work, at rest, or engrossed in a favourite hobby make great subjects.
There are lots of things an artist can address, to make sure that all-important “self” shines out from the picture:
Where are they most at home?
The setting plays a huge part in the atmosphere of a portrait. Outdoors in natural light gives a sense of freedom. Inside at a workbench, or curled up with a book by a window… the familiar environment can be a great record of a stage in the subject’s life. Details like treasured objects and everyday items help give the portrait realism and interest once the main impact has been digested. All these elements can enhance the description of a personality.
Woman in a Tub - pastels on paper by Edgar Degas 1886
Who do they love?
Whether it’s colleagues, friends, family, a toy, a pet, or even food, the combination can say so much more than the sum of the parts. Combining references convincingly is a challenge: working from a single photo ensures light, scale, and perspective are consistent between the subjects. Done right, whether from life or photo(s), a group portrait conveys connection.
What makes them unique?
Rather than airbrushing distinctive features, work that USP! It’s no secret that a big nose is a portrait painter’s dream, so please don’t remove your normal glasses, torture your hair into an uncharacteristic style, or put extra make-up on for your portrait. Unless, of course, you’ve got a really big sword…
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun - Mohammed_Dervish_Khan (1788)
