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blobby portraits
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Message
Posted
ok - hit me
I do not like portraits, by nature of medium probably watercolour, of paint smears purporting to be recogniseable or representable of a face
appear to an outbreak recently
am I alone?
expressive, impressionist. great - even surreal dali/picasso
no I will not name names as some work some appear to like
to me if you are going to paint a portrait use acrylic or oils - tell me I'm wrong
Posted
It's hard to paint portraits - and probably harder to do them in watercolour, although it can save you loads of time: because if a watercolour portrait goes wrong, there's very little to save it, and you abandon it. Whereas if you paint one in oil or acrylic you can carry on labouring over the wretched thing for hours longer than you should bother to, because what happens is, especially with oil, you get thicker and thicker paint and still haven't got a likeness having spent all damn' day on it.
A portrait has been well described as 'a painting with something not quite right about the mouth' - and trying to correct those infinitesimal details in watercolour is so murderously hard that you reach stealthily for the gouache; which is when you should admit defeat.
I have however seen some fine portraits in watercolour; and some pretty bad ones. But I'd still encourage people to show their work - especially if they're prepared to accept a little criticism and advice: that's one of the things this site is about, after all.
Posted
I'm going to tell you you're wrong too. I've seen some beautiful watercolour portraits. Also some bad ones. It isn't the fault of the medium though!
I've been limbering up to doing a self portrait (watercolour) for years. I would never attempt one in acrylic, I find them difficult, but that's just me. It's good that we're all different.
Posted
As I see it, and purely a personal view ( so put the machetes away please (-:) there are three ways of looking at portraits: 1: The vanity photographic representation where the artists may get paid if they're lucky and the rules are " Don't make my ass look big in this even if it is, and no wrinkles" ,2: how the artist sees the subject and where their descendants may get recompence in the not too forseeable future if they can sell it in auction post mortem, and 3, the selfie where no one or nothing can be blamed but the light, materials and camera,mirror etc.. the artist is, of course, never at fault here.:Whistling:
I never have been a true lover of the posed painted "Here's me standing by my favourite dog, horse or crocodile in whatever medium, even when done by the masters pre Eastman Kodak eras etc, as they are more examples of the artist's copying skills done to please the subject than actual works of art. Pay a photographer , the camera rarely lies. I only ever do portraits sketches for fun and, since they aren't commisioned works, I "portray" what I see in my own fashion. Then again, a portrait painter I am not so my views aren't likely to worry anyone. What you see, is what you get, "Warts and all" as good old honest Oliver Cromwell said. 😆
Posted
Doubt if anybody would ever "stand by their favourite crocodile" Jim. It was said that Rembrandt painted himself continually in the last two decades of his life - did he run out of suitable subjects? Although I don't paint portraits, except one of my "beloved", the most interesting faces for me are the ones which show life's knocks (not literally of course). No botox, airbrushed faces for me!!