emotion in portraiture

[Reno]

Hi I am new here at this site howerver I love it already. I would like to know how to paint expressions of mood or emotion into the eyes of my people. I love doing people and would like to be able to show more expressions into the eyes. I work in oil. Thank you so much. Reno

[sharii]

I have found that the eyebrows play a big part in showing expression in the eyes. For sad, you would slant the eyebrows slightly down at the outside side of the eyes, for anger, slant them up, for surprise raise them, etc. Also how open or closed the lids are makes a big difference. Droopy lids show sleepiness, lids all the way up can show surprise, etc. Also, you can squint the eyes, as they would be when smiling real big. Hope this helps a little. Good luck.

[scottb]

Moving this thread to the portraiture forum - this forum is meant for discussions of ArtSchool Online, upcoming lessons, requested lessons, etc.

Cheers.
Scott

[williamcilento]

i do alternative portraiture please feel free to visit my site.

[arteitaliana]

Hi, Reno, and welcome to WetCanvas.
I don't think there is a special trick or technique to paint emotion in portraiture. Portrait is a difficult and demanding subject and expression and emotion are translated by color, shade, line and everything that comes into play when painting a face. Your reference, be it a live model or a photo, will shows a partucular emotion, and you would have to observe and reproduce facial characteristics,lines,creases,shadows, etc.,
A good portrait takes into consideration all the features distinguishing a person from another and includes the emotion represented by them.
Just paint as accurately as you are able to, what you see....the emotion will appear.
Hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by Rita Monaco (edited November 07, 2000).]

[lori]

i agree with rita. one of my favorite things to paint are portraits, and i usually go back and do a series of them between my other work. what rita says holds true for me also. i tend to paint VERY expressionist portraits and capture the emotion by looking closely at the model, AND paint exactly what i see, which still works even when i have distorted the subject. however i would also like to add that i stare alot into my model's eyes...the window to the soul, is very useful in portraiture i have found.

look closely and feel your model with your eyes....happy painting...

[LarrySeiler]

Reno...

sketch plenty of eyes. I just did a quick sketch of my left eye in a mirror. Important to look at the shape of the eyelids forming the white of the eye, which truly gives the distinction that makes identification. "Yes, that's Larry...! No, that's not Larry!"

Next..remember the eye is a three-dimensional object. I drew also my right eye...and shadows under the upper eyelid falling upon the eyeball, shadows as the circumference of the eye slips back into the corners of the eye, all work to make convincing form. Note also, that any strong highlight upon the lens of the eye refracts thru the lens and lightens the pigmentation of the iris opposite its position. This gives the eye its glass-like appearance. The eyebrow is significant for expressing emotion, and care to its shape. Also, the lines/crow feet coming from the eye help to express moods, tension, peace, etc; hope it gives you some help.... Larry

<IMG SRC="http://www.wetcanvas.com/Critiques/User/eyes.JPG" border=0>

[This message has been edited by lseiler (edited November 09, 2000).]

[Phyllis Franklin]

Excellent Larry! Now put that eyeball back in your head and eat your supper.

------------------

• Yep this is Phy...llis
• Sounds like Lizz.
• P.S.
  Join in the fun! Paint one of the painting projects today.
  

[LarrySeiler]

What was funny llis, I did this quick sketch tonight after school after agreeing to sit in and take detention for another teacher.

So part of this eye...is it is an "evil" eye keeping an eye on the little b@^%!%ts! So, here's looking at you!!!!

Larry

[animal]

Larry, Your sketch was great reference and I saved it to my computer for references,,because I am just starting to draw people after drawing animals all these years. Is drawing th eye of an animal is it the same concept of drawing a person`s eye

[henrik]

I can recommend "The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression" by Gary Faigin, a very good book to have around, espeicially if you don't have a live model, or like to stare at yourself being angry, mad, sad, happy, lauging, etc. in the mirror hour after hour....

[Leslie M. Ficcaglia]

Reno, as several other people have commented, if you paint what's there, the expression will come with it. In the same way that you pay attention to the shape of the eyes and the lines around the mouth in order to achieve a likeness, you'll find that the expression is integral to all these factors and can't be separated from it. I paint from photos which I've taken of the subject, and I have the damnedest time trying to mask a likeness on the few occasions that I don't want it to look just like my model - I'm so used to rendering everything faithfully. Take a look at my website; I love to portray the range of expressions and the natural look that captures the individual's personality, so you should see lots of examples of what I mean. Good luck and keep painting.
Leslie

[kayemme]

the best way to learn portraiture is to do a lot of portraits..

do a self portrait every month..

not only will it increase your hand-eye coordination, line, use of materials, expressions, facial features and overall skill, it will allow you to show yourself a progression of both your skill enhancement and the way you look.

plus it's easier for friends and family to say, "well.. i think you look a little more like this..." they're able to make comparisons because they know what you look like.

teach them how to critique, though.. it doesn't do you any good to hear "that's really good" if it isn't.


good luck

km

[bruin70]

it's all in the pose......{M}



------------------
"it's alright to be judgmental,,,,,,,,if you have taste"...MILT

[SueFletcher]

Lots of good info already posted. I think being aware of posture subtleties,blocking in large value areas carefully in the beginning, working from large to small as most do painting any subject serve well in portraiture too.Color and value do much to express mood regardless of subject. The more you paint, the more you see to paint!

------------------
SF