Information for first class

We begin by looking at how artists approach portraiture. By looking at other's work we start to define ideas, what it can mean to do a portrait. We will talk about points of view, head-on, classic 3/4 view, side profile. We will ask about what other elements are included in the portrait. Who better to start with than Hans Holbein, Master portrait artist to King Henry the 8th? Throughout the class we will look at other artist's portraiture and self-portrait work.

Though every face is unique, there are some proportions that hold true. We start by looking at the shape of the head, feeling our own anatomy, talking about basic bone structure. We look for the vertical centerline, and then make horizontal divisions to place the eye line, locate the base of the nose, and mouth. We will draw from the model in quick gestural unfussy shapes, getting a feel of the shape of the head, and marking in some basic proportions. As the tilt of the head changes, We see how these proportions alter.