February-March 2012 Portrait Challenge

[Lauren F-M]

For our new challenge, we are celebrating the Old Masters painter, Frans Hals.
He was born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1580, and died in Haarlem, Netherlands in 1666.
For information on Frans Hals' life, here are some links:
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/bio/h/hals/frans/biograph.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frans_Hals

Hals is well-known for his expressive portraits, many so jovial folks painted in a very loose manner. I find them remarkable, considering this was before photography, but he caught the moment of expression.

So, here are some of his paintings. You are welcome to draw or paint! :D

1] Portrait of a Man Holding a Skull (c.1611) 72.5 x 94 cm Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham, England
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_1_PortraitofaManHoldingaSkull.JPG

2] Portrait of a Man #1 (c.1660-66)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_2_portraitofaman1.jpg

3] Portrait of a Seated Woman, presumedly Maria Vernatta (1648-50)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_3_portraitofaseatedwoman-presumedlymariavernatti.jpg

4] Portrait of a Man #2 [also called 'Bildnis eines Mannes'] (1630-33)
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_4_PortriatofaMan_Bildnis.jpg

5] Portrait of Catherine Hooft and her Nurse (C.1619-20) 65 x 68 cm, Staatliche Museum, Berlin
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_5_PortofCatherineHooft+nurse.jpg

6] Portrait of a Man Holding Gloves
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_6_Port_ofaMan_HoldingG.jpg

7] Portrait of a Man, #3 (1640s) Hood Museum
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_8_PortofaMan_Hood.jpg

8] Portrait of a Woman, detail (1655-1660) City Museum & Art Gallery, Plymouth, USA
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/01-Feb-2012/20772-Hals_9_Portraitofawoman-detail.jpg

[wetbob]

Hals is well-known for his expressive portraits, many so jovial folks painted in a very loose manner
And his alternative setup, seen in your third posted painting! Great pics and i love Hals,
wb

[dominika]

Nice pictures. I haven't heard about him before, but his pictures reminds me great polish painter Henryk Rodakowski. I hope I'll have some time to try this challenge.

[ryster007]

I love Franz Hals,

We have one of his portraits in Edinburgh

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/subjects/Body%20parts/502977/artistName/Frans%20Hals/recordId/5008

not sure about copyright for image so see link attached!

It always strikes me how bold and expressive his impasto brushwork was for 1600s

Ryan

[ishiprog]

Hi all,

A wonderfule selection you have choosen for this portrait challenge, Lauren.

Due to we are moving (again) to the more western part of our country (near Cologne) my time to draw is very limited. Therefore here is my humble attempt to the "man holding a skull"

C&C welcome!

Charcoal & white chalk pencils on middle gray paper 50x35 cm, 45 min.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-Feb-2012/198962-DSCF5833.JPG

[dominika]

My first (a bit disastrous) attempt to Hals, made in sketching pen.http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/04-Feb-2012/974143-hans1.jpg

[dominika]

Portrait of woman: acrylic on paper, about 1,5 hour.http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Feb-2012/974143-hals1.jpg

[Lauren F-M]

Wolfgang and Dominika -- Thanks for starting things off here, and doing that man! :clap: Interesting to see him done in 2 different media. :thumbsup: Such a serious-looking dude!

Dominika -- you did a lovely job on the woman's face! :clap:

[dominika]

Thank you Lauren. I'm tempted by the 4th picture now :wave:.

[kate252]

would it be a bit annoying if i was able to post my little attempt i did for my sons bedroom? i did it about three years ago

you can understand why i gave up oils cant you

but i thought - as the body was a Hals.....
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Feb-2012/179491-IMGP3258.jpg

[karenlee]

My cat Alma (as in Mahler) sends a meooow!

[NancyMP]

would it be a bit annoying if i was able to post my little attempt i did for my sons bedroom? i did it about three years ago

you can understand why i gave up oils cant you

but i thought - as the body was a Hals.....
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Feb-2012/179491-IMGP3258.jpg

Love it! My four cats also send their congratulatory meows!:lol:

[123harry]

Ha! The Laughing Catvelier!
I actually had a copy of Hals' version of this in My bedroom as a kid....but Hals used a human as a model...how weird is that!

[wetbob]

Hi res Hals
famous married couple
http://www.googleartproject.com/museums/rijks/portrait-of-a-couple-in-a-landscape-probably-isaac-abrahamsz-massa-1586-1643-and-beatrix-van-der-laen-1592-1639-16
very high!!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Frans_Hals_056.jpg
4,3mb

[wetbob]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/05-Feb-2012/974143-hals1.jpg
How can you work so fast with acrylics? Its beautiful
Great cat too!:thumbsup:

[dominika]

Hello again, here is my next attempt to Hals. I like the contrasts in this picture.
Wetbob, thank you, I haven't much experience in acrylics but its fast drying is something that I like. And now acrylics again, about 1,45 hour.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/07-Feb-2012/974143-hals2.jpg

[dominika]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/09-Feb-2012/974143-hals3.jpg

[wetbob]

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/10-Feb-2012/100299-1.JPG
charcoal in sketchbook,
wb

[kevinwueste]

Lovely works here!!!

-Kevin

[dominika]

Wetbob, nice attempt! Funny how differently everyone sees the same picture. This time girl in oils. Seems like I have to train a lot to be able to paint portraits in oils. At least I have a lot of fun with this challenge :) !http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/13-Feb-2012/974143-hals5.jpg

[wetbob]

no it s a very good oils version!
Funny how differently everyone sees the same picture
It is!
wb

[old_hobbyist]

One of the "Regentesses of the Old Men's Almshouse," 1664

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/15-Feb-2012/214919-WC-portrait_challenge-Jan-Feb_2012.jpg

[old_hobbyist]

In re to the PM. I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was supposed to do one of the pics posted. Pls remove my posting. Thank you.

[dominika]

Hello, old hobbyst! I think this is very good place to post your Hals copy here. Nice attempt, is that oil? We'd like to see the original painting of it, so could you post it too?

[old_hobbyist]

My attempt is 9 x 12 acrylic on canvas paper. Here's Hals' ptg. As someone PM'd to me, I did not understand that I was supposed to paint one of the pics shown. Pls feel free to remove it. Thank you.
http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/15-Feb-2012/214919-hans_hals-pic_I_used_for_the_challenge.jpg

[wetbob]

I did not understand that I was supposed to paint one of the pics shown. Pls feel free to remove it. Thank you.

That would be a waste, beautiful painting!

[sheldring]

Here's my version of Maria Vernatti, finger-painted on an iPad using the ProCreate app:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Feb-2012/984134-Hals_copy.jpg

There's been a bit of color shift in saving out from the iPad, where the image is a little darker, especially in the blues of the costume, which are kind of too prominent here. (Unless that's just my monitor.) And I haven't managed entire accuracy--mine is a bit longer and a bit less wide than the original, and there's something different about the placement of her right eye that I got tired, finally, of trying to figure out--but I'm pretty pleased overall (especially since it's drawn freehand onto a screen rather than gridded onto canvas). I've never really looked at Hals that much, and in that respect this was a fascinating exercise--he's a much subtler painter than I would have imagined going in. (I especially love how delicately, within the apparent severity of her self-presentation, he indicates wealth and taste--the bracelets, the rings, the earrings, the necklace.)

I kind of want to do something of his in actual oils, now. It's so much quicker on the iPad, though--no waiting for layers to dry.

[dominika]

Hi, sheldring! This is great copy, you have captured her expression. I like details and the way you did shadows - it looks very oily I think... How much time did it take you?

[flyingroc]

Here's my attempt using a pen on my sketchbook:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7069/6784018006_9b2cda52a1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/flyingroc/6784018006/)

[sheldring]

Thanks, Dominika. Not sure of the time, but it's probably in the 8 to 10 hour range. Which I feel a little ridiculous about, given that it's only pixels, but I was having fun with it, so ...

[flyingroc]

Hey all, I attempted another one, this time "Maria Vernatta" in watercolor. I've never been very successful doing portraits in watercolor, so I figure I should keep trying!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7184/6932146879_fab95bb149_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/flyingroc/6932146879/)

[lovin art]

Wow , Not an Easy thing to do on ipad :thumbsup:

Lovely work Guys and Dolls ... :D

Here's my version of Maria Vernatti, finger-painted on an iPad using the ProCreate app:

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/24-Feb-2012/984134-Hals_copy.jpg

There's been a bit of color shift in saving out from the iPad, where the image is a little darker, especially in the blues of the costume, which are kind of too prominent here. (Unless that's just my monitor.) And I haven't managed entire accuracy--mine is a bit longer and a bit less wide than the original, and there's something different about the placement of her right eye that I got tired, finally, of trying to figure out--but I'm pretty pleased overall (especially since it's drawn freehand onto a screen rather than gridded onto canvas). I've never really looked at Hals that much, and in that respect this was a fascinating exercise--he's a much subtler painter than I would have imagined going in. (I especially love how delicately, within the apparent severity of her self-presentation, he indicates wealth and taste--the bracelets, the rings, the earrings, the necklace.)

I kind of want to do something of his in actual oils, now. It's so much quicker on the iPad, though--no waiting for layers to dry.

[dominika]

I think we shouldn't let this thread die...
flyingroc, nice attempts, watercolor isn't an easy medium, especially in portraits. Pen isn't an easy medium, too. You did good job.
My attempt in oil pastels.http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/10-Mar-2012/974143-100_9132.jpg

[moscatel]

Lauren, thanks for the references!
Mechanical pencils 0.5 & 0.7 and some H pencils + "charcoal"(?) pencil (not sure what it is), paper: Accademia Fabriano 94 lbs, 20x28 cm (8x11")

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/19-Mar-2012/50779-120.jpg