How to
write about
Portraits
Expressive Essay/How to start
What to write about The artist will use the Visual elements and composition to make the most interesting picture they can.
For the best marks you must write about –
• The person in the portrait and how the artist tells us about their personality.
• How the visual elements have been used and how they affect each other, the composition and the subject.
• Your opinion on the artwork and reasons why you like and don’t like specific parts of it.
To Start –
Log on.
Create Word document.
Type title - ‘ Expressive Essay – Portraiture’ and your full name.
Save Essay – File > Save As > name your essay ‘Expressive Essay’
Expressive Essay/How to start
Step 1
State the Artists and titles of the portraits you will be writing about.
Step 2 – First artist and artwork
‘The first artist I will be discussing is ‘full name’ and their artwork/painting/ect ’full title’’
Say which artist and artwork you will be discussing.
Step 3 – Describe the artwork
Describe everything you see in the artwork – ‘The painting shows..’
Describe the portrait in full; say what you see as if describing it to someone who can’t see it.
Describe the subject.
If you met the person in portrait describe what you think their personality would be like.
Describe their facial expression.
Describe their mood.
How do you think they feel?
Why have they been shown like this? Give reasons referring to specific details.
Describe what they are wearing.
Are their clothes a costume?
Is there a specific place these clothes are usually worn.
Are their clothes connected to a period of time?
Do their clothes show how they feel about themselves?
Describe their pose.
Has the artist made the subject look realistic?
Has the artist changed their features, body, hands?
Describe how the artist has changed them?
Where has the artist positioned them?
What viewpoint can they be seen from?
How are they interacting with other people or things in the space?
How does the artist show how they feel about the subject?
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Write about each Visual Element.
Describe each visual element and how it has been used to tell us about the subject.
Describe how each visual element affects and emphasises another visual element.
Describe how each visual element affects the composition.
Describe how the artist has used the visual elements to draw the viewer’s eye in.
Say which visual elements the artist has focused on.
Colour –
Use describing words to say what sort of colours you see.
Are there colours which go well together? Give reasons.
Are there contrasting colours?
Are there warm or cool colours?
How do the colours create a mood or feeling to the artwork?
How do the colours link to what is in the artwork and it’s theme.
Does a part of the portrait stand out because of a colour used?
How have colours been used to make the viewer look at certain parts?
Are a selection of colours used in particular areas?
Are certain colours used which link to the subject’s mood or personality?
Word Bank/COLOUR
Palette
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Wild
Exotic
Unconventional
Muddy
Vibrant
Volume
Expressive
Harmonious
Contrasting
Translucent
Clashing
Luminous
Natural
Unnatural
Rich
Subtle
Happy
Angry
add other words you use..
Warm
Strong
Mixed
Opaque
Realistic
Sad
Cold
Bright
Bold
Explosion
Sombre
Muted
Plain
Vivid
Quiet
Spontaneous
Lush
Intense
Stimulating
Washes
Complimentary
Limited
Unrealistic
Eye-catching
Earthy
Solid
Blocks
Monochrome
Splash
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Tone
What sort of light is in the artwork (natural, Man-Made, low light, bright)?
Where is the light coming from?
What is lit up and emphasised?
What is dark, in shadow and hidden?
How does the use of light and dark tell us about the subject and their personality?
How has the use of light and dark affected the form of objects?
Has the use of tone flattened objects or details?
Has the use of tone made things look more 3-D?
Has the use of tone affected the mood of the artwork?
Has the use of tone created a focal point?
Is the light and dark symbolic of something?
Has the artist used specific materials to show tone?
Word Bank/TONE
Light Source
Light
Harsh
Happy
Chaotic
Dramatic
Exciting
Quiet
Busy
Sinister
add other words you use..
Dark
Sad
Quiet
Tense
Dark
Shades
Funny
Reflective
Summer
Sunny
Rendering
Scary
Tint
Day
Shiny
Rendered
Natural
Mysterious Friendly
Reflecting
Golden
Night
Flat
Flash
Electric
Evening
Powerful
Hint
Silhouette
Moody
Morning
Energetic
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Shape
Describe the sort of shapes you see.
Are there a lot of one sort of shape in different parts of the artwork?
Are there contrasting shapes?
How do the shapes fit together?
How are the shapes positioned in the space?
Describe the size of the shapes?
Is one type of shape repeated in another part of the artwork?
How does the position of the shapes affect the composition?
Word Bank/SHAPE
Figure
Geometric
Basic
Curved
Rounded
Jagged
Dotted
Sprinkled
Strong
Layering
Multiple
Cracked
Magnified
Recognisable
add other words you use..
Organic
Distorted
Solid
Monumental
Hidden
Sharp
Smooth
Pronounced Detailed
Weak
Repeated
Placed
Symbolic
Spiked
Cluttered
Jutting
Slicing
Delicate
Abstract
Hollow
Flowing
Large
Cubist
Busy
Layers
Small
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Line
Describe what lines can be seen in the portrait.
Use describing words for the lines in the artwork.
Do the lines create movement?
Do the lines move around the space?
How have the lines been created?
Have a lot of lines been used?
Do the lines create basic shapes?
Do the lines point to anything or make something stand out?
Do the lines make basic shapes ?
Have the lines been layered up?
How does the use of line affect the composition of the portrait?
How does the use of line affect the balance of the portrait?
Word Bank/LINE
Drawing
Sketching
Expressive
Moving
Flowing
Linear
Organic
Geometric Curved
Three Dimensional
Flat
Jagged
Slashed
Crude
add other words you use..
Broad
Gentle
Sinuous
Dancing
Controlled
Hard
Wandering
Sweeping
Heavy
Soft
Slow
Elongated
Light
Simplified
Outline
Strong
Fluid
Subtle
Fast
Defining
Restrained
Chaotic
Restrained
Detailed
Defined Broken
Order
Sensitive
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Texture
Write about how different things in the artwork feel.
Look for contrasts of texture and describe them.
Describe how you think the surface of the artwork would feel.
How has the paint or materials been applied to the surface?
Word Bank/TEXTURE
Materials
Textured
Brushstrokes
Surface
Layered
Impasto
Touch
Movement
Expression
Exposed
‘Worked into’
Scumbled Rough
Smooth
Melted
Flakey
Cracked
Distressed Scraped
add other words you use..
Layer
Jagged
Dry
Sensation
Uneven
Mixed
Wet
Wavy
Built Up
Expressive
Brittle
Warped
Action
Painterly
Reflective
Runny Trickled
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Form (3-D Shapes)
Has the artist made things look 3-D or flat?
Are the forms realistic?
How are the forms different from real life?
Describe how the forms are positioned; refer to composition.
How do the forms fill the space?
Has the artist shown what the forms are made of?
Describe how the artist has made something look 3-D or flat; refer to using tone (light and dark).
Word Bank/SHAPE
Subject Matter
Smooth
Cluttered
Curved
Rounded
Slight
Still
add other words you use..
Objects
Abstract
Jagged
Moving
Subject
Cubist
Distorted
Buzzing
Figure
Geometric
Pronounced Detailed
Energy
Tangible
Basic
Organic
Sharp
Jutting
Crushed
Hollow
Warped
Monumental
Melted
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Pattern
Has the artist used pattern?
Is the pattern repeated, simple or complicated?
Does the pattern remind you of anything?
Does the pattern have a theme?
Has the artist made an object or area look like a pattern?
Does the pattern symbolise anything?
Is the pattern part of clothing or costume?
Does the pattern tell us about the person wearing it?
Does the pattern contrast with other objects or part of the artwork?
Is the pattern connected to a style, place or period of time?
Word Bank/PATTERN
Repeated
Complex
Connecting
Feminine
Beautiful
add other words you use..
Complicated Simple
Delicate
Rough
Masculine Dream-like
Traditional
Precise
Sinuous
Ornate
Theatrical
S-Shaped
Basic
Covered
Awkward
Flowing
Coverage
Unfolding
Connected
Spreading
Beauty
Expressive Essay/
Step 4 - The Visual Elements
Scale
What size is the artwork?
How would this affect you if you saw it in real life?
Are the things in the artwork life size, bigger or smaller?
How is the subject matter changed by the use of scale?
What is point of view is the subject matter seen from?
Can you tell where the artist was positioned compared to the subject matter when they made the artwork?
How is the subject matter changed when shown from a different viewpoint?
Is something revealed or hidden by using a different viewpoint?
Is the subject matter changed by being shown from a different viewpoint?
Is the viewer made to look at the artwork from a different position?
How are the other Visual Elements changed by the use of scale?
How are the use of materials affected by the use of scale?
Word Bank/SCALE
Proportions
Natural
Realistic
Building
Focus
Powerful
Fat
Receding
Aggressive
add other words you use..
Proportioned
Unrealistic Small
Minute
Huge
Bulky
Slim
Life-Size
Tiny
Massive
Viewpoint
Across
Infinite
Minimal
Close-up
Monumental
Immense
Constructed
Built
Overwhelming
Spreading
Magnified
Zoomed
Forward
Expressive Essay/
Step 5 – Composition and Focal Point
Composition
This is where the artist has positioned everything in the artwork to –
•
Make you look at it; draw the viewer’s eye around the painting and to the focal point.
•
Create balance and harmony to the whole space of the artwork.
•
Imagine you had to draw out the artwork in the simplest shapes and lines.
Say where parts of the artwork have been positioned.
Has symmetry been used?
Say where there are horizontal lines.
Say where there are vertical lines.
Say where there are diagonals.
Is there a crossing of lines?
Where does your eye look at first?
Do some objects point to others?
Are there the same shapes in different parts of the space?
Identify the basic shapes which make up the painting.
Look for things which are lined up like a cross, a triangle or circle.
Does the shape make any area stand out ?
Do the simple shapes and lines bring different parts together or point to anything?
Imagine the painting is a see-saw. Has the artist balanced the painting with different things in different areas?
Has the artist split up the artwork into thirds? Say what you see in each third.
Say what is in the background.
Say what is in the mid-ground (middle).
Say what is in the fore-ground (at the front).
Has depth been created?
Do parts look like they are moving?
Do parts look like they are moving forward or back?
Does the artwork look calm or full of energy?
Are there lots of parts to the artwork?
Is it simple with few part
Expressive Essay/
Step 5 – Composition and Focal Point
Focal point
What do you look at first?
What is your eye drawn to first?
Is there an object or part of the artwork which stands out?
How has the artist made the object stand out?
Is the object different to others?
Is it a different colour or shape?
Is it lit up?
Where is it?
Expressive Essay/
Step 6 – Comparison
Compare and Contrast
Are there similar things the different artists have done?
Have the artists focused on the same Visual Elements?
Have the artists got a similar style?
Are there similar things in the artworks?
Describe the different ways the artists have used colour.
Describe the different ways the artists used the other Visual Elements.
Describe the different ways the artist have used the materials.
Describe the different ways the artists have applied the materials to the surface of the artwork.
Describe the ways the artists have shown the subjects.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Say which artwork you prefer and why.
Say which artist you prefer and why.
Say which artist and artwork you think is most successful at telling us about the subject.
Say what you have learned from looking at portraiture and portraits.
Say what you know now that you didn’t know before writing your essay and responding to Artist’s work.
Find a quote by the artist that you like and links to what you have written in your essay.
Online – search > ‘artist (name of your artist) quote’ or ask Mr. Hogarth
A Portrait is an artwork which has
a person as the subject matter.
The artist will have made a portrait
to tell the viewer about the person
in it –
• What they look like.
• Their personality.
• Their story.
• How they feel about themselves.
• How the artist feels about them.
Title - ‘Self Portrait With Stetson’
Artist - John Byrne (Scottish, born 1940)
Materials - Oil on canvas
Date - 1989
Dimensions - 90 x 70cm