Habitual. Art.
Faces, Portraits & Drawing Volume 15 November/December 2018 www.artdictionmagazine.com
ArtDiction is a platform for artists to display their work and a resource for the habitual art lover.
Staff
Devika A. Strother, Editor-in-Chief devika@artdictionmagazine.com Isabella Chow, Associate Editor bella@artdictionmagazine.com Phillip Utterback, Staff Writer phillip@artdictionmagazine.com David Frankel, Senior Account Executive dfrankel@webtv.net
Graphic Design Consultant Shannon Washington
shanwashingtondc@gmail.com
Contributing Writers Anna Serick
Devika Akeise Publishing assumes no responsibility for the opinions expressed by authors in this publication. Š2018 of Devika Akeise Publishing. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.
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FEATURES 14 Portrait Painting
A step-by-step guide to paint the perfect portrait.
16 Artistic Communicator
With an artistic style that has evolved over time, Erin Fitz patrick paints portraits that sometimes focuses on more than just the face.
30 A History of Portraiture Learn about the art form that started centuries ago and has its own unique style today. 36 Realistically Surreal Kerry Beall is a graphic designer and illustrator who masterfully blurs the lines between surrealism and reality. 48 The Benefits of Drawing We have all picked up a pencil and doodled from time to time. But did you know that there are scientifically proven benefits to drawing? Cover photo courtesy of Kerry Beall.
In Each Issue 5 small talk 6 bella’s books 8 news 12 music 13 exhibits 52 artist index
Photo courtesy of Erin Fitzpatrick
Š2018 by Devika Akeise Publishing
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small talk
©Subbotina Anna
I
love faces. But I’m not alone. Studies have been conducted that show our brains reward us when we see faces we like. The obsession with faces has found its way into the art world. In this issue of ArtDiction, we discuss various methods of capturing faces—portraiture, painting, drawing, and more. Following this theme, we interviewed painter Erin Fitzpatrick (page 16) who paints many faces of varied subcultures while also capturing the surroundings and the environment of her subjects. The artwork of Kerry Beall is also featured
(page 36). Kerry has a surrealistic approach to faces that plays with the imagination yet still seems quite real. We also present articles that will encourage you to doodle, teach you a little about where portraiture began, and how to paint the perfect portrait. So, meet a new face and create a new memory. Or find that familiar face you love and give it a polite stare. Science says it’s okay.
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bella’s books Hazards of Time Travel Joyce Carol Oates Ecco, November 2018 While doing research for this review, I came across an old article from The Guardian about Joyce Carol Oates that said “nearly every review of an Oates book, it seems, begins with a list” of the veritable mountain of work the writer has amassed in her over 40-year career. The reason this quote stood out for me was, in viewing Oates’ work, I realized I have never read a single thing she has written until now. I was, therefore, in a position when reading Oates’ latest novel, Hazards of Time Travel, to come at it with a fresh point of view—and no list to compare to. I would love to say, like I did with author Jane Yolen, that reading Oates’ novel opened the door to an author whose books I can’t wait to devour. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
“The reason this quote stood out for me was, in viewing Oates’ work, I realized I have never read a single thing she has written until now. ” Hazards of Time Travel reads like a jumbled, rambling dystopian YA novel written as a frustrated reaction to Trump-era politics. The protagonist, Adriane Strohl, is a teenager who is arrested for “Treason-Speech and Questioning of Authority”; both offenses in the future North American States that are punishable by either “deletion”—where you are not only vaporized (which is exactly what it sounds like), but also means your
family and friends are “forbidden to speak of you or in any way remember you, once you cease to exist”—or “exiled,” in which a person is given a new identity and teletransported to another location to be re-educated and become a value to society. In Adriane’s case, the sentence is exile; the location: Wainscotia Falls, Wis.… in 1959. The story is told mostly from Adriane’s point of view, which is regrettable, because Oates’ depiction of a disoriented, terrified teenage girl, falling in what she thinks is love with an older authority figure in a similar situation, is almost too spot-on in its awkward desperation. Combined with the confusion of her circumstances—Is Adriane really in the past, or just a virtual reality of it? Or is this all a dream? Are any of the other, undeveloped characters spies for the government? Are they even real? Is she being watched, or has she simply been dumped in the past? —Hazard never gives you anyone to root for, or even a coherent story to latch onto. You can tell that the intent was a commentary on the inevitable evolution of the current political climate, but what has been presented instead is a bewildering mishmash of a story that ends up going nowhere; a meta concept, but obviously unintentional. If this was a new author, I would say “don’t quit your day job; for Oates, it’s “better luck next time.” The Witch Elm Tana French Viking, October 2018 In her 2012 blog post entitled, “Why Teaching Equality Hurts Men,” author Roz Meadows made this entirely prescient statement: “Never having experienced inequality…the majority of straight white men will be absolutely
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oblivious to their own advantages—not because they must necessarily be insensitive, sexist, racist, homophobic or unaware of the principles of equality; but because they have been told, over and over again, that there is no inequality left for them—or anyone else—to experience, and everything they have experienced up to that point will only have proved them right.” It is this concept of oblivious privilege— both having it and losing it—that Tana French explores in her newest novel, The Witch Elm. Toby Hennessy, our narrator, views himself as a “lucky” person: lucky to grow up in a well-off, supportive, two-parent household with a large, loving extended family; lucky to be upwardly mobile, good-looking and popular; lucky to have his devoted girlfriend, Melissa; lucky to have a good job doing PR with a “fairly prestigious” art gallery... you get the picture. Basically, Toby is a walking, talking advertisement for white/straight/male privilege, and totally clueless of this fact. Unfortunately for Toby, his “luck” can’t protect him when he decides to confront burglars in his home. Robbed and beaten nearly to death, Toby faces permanent inju-
bella’s books ries and a long convalescence—but even here the blow is cushioned. The
Transcription Kate Atkinson Little, Brown and Company, September 2018
residual effects of his injuries are not debilitating or life-threatening; he has excellent insurance, full support from his family and girlfriend, a sympathetic employer, even savings to fall back on. It almost feels convenient when Toby finds out, shortly afterwards, that his beloved bachelor uncle, Hugo, is dying, because this means Toby and Melissa join Hugo at Ivy House, the historic family home and Toby’s idyllic childhood retreat. When a body is found in the titular tree on the family’s property, it’s almost a relief; Toby has become an irritant, a bug you desperately want to squish. But instead of providing immediate gratification, French shows the skill honed over her last six novels by using the discovery to gradually reveal, layer by layer, how Toby’s easy and oblivious life has affected others; discoveries that end up altering not only his key relationships, but Toby himself in inevitable and (in one twist) shocking ways. For her first foray away from her amazing Dublin Murder Squad series, French has done an incredible job. The Witch Elm doesn’t end the way you expect, but the end is hardly surprising. It’s an astute story, and sadly apropos in our current social climate.
I tried to like Transcription, I really did. It had so many elements of previous books I’ve loved, and had so many advance rave reviews for Kate Atkinson’s latest, that I just assumed it would be great. Reading a synopsis of the plot, you can tell all the trappings of a great story are there: a young girl in England, Juliet Armstrong, is recruited by MI5 to spy on Nazi sympathizers during World War II. Ten years later, Juliet is drawn back into the intrigue when individuals from her past reappear and draw her back into the espionage world. Sounds fantastic, right? But for all it had going for it, Kate Atkinson’s latest book left me frustrated, a little confused, and disappointed that a premise with so much promise fell as flat as it did. Part of my disappointment might lie with the focus of the story itself. Juliet’s main job with MI5 is as a typist, transcribing recorded conversations between an undercover British agent posing as a Nazi and a group of everyday people that have decided Fascism is more to their liking. It is a boring job, even to Juliet, who spends most of her days wondering why her attractive boss isn’t hitting on her. And while I completely understand that the war effort required a lot of people doing unglamorous jobs, it’s hard to get interested in the pages of half-heard discussions presented. Even when Juliet is put in the field, the action feels flat and hard to follow. The structure of the book intersperses flashes of during the war with life after, in which Juliet is working doing educational radio shows for children (and the occasional odd job for the government). This jostling of time periods makes the book difficult to follow, as
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“Ten years later, Juliet is drawn back into the intrigue when individuals from her past reappear and draw her back into the espionage world. Sounds fantastic, right? ” does the revolving cast of characters, many which seem interchangeable. Perhaps this book would have more appeal to someone in the U.K. or Europe, as their war experiences during that time period were very different from the American prospective. Knowing your history can be beneficial; I’m just
not sure that the general public will be all that interested in this particular perspective on history.
By Isabella Chow
news 1-54 Moves to Manhattan The 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is making preparation to move to a new location for its 2019 New York edition. Having spent four years at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood, 1-54 will relocate to Industria in Manhattan’s West Village. The event space is two blocks south of the Whitney Museum. The move seems appropriate as the fair is gaining more popularity. In 2018 there were 21 exhibitors; this year 30 participating galleries are expected to present work by more than 70 artists from Africa and the diaspora during 1-54’s New York run from May 2 to May 5. The fair will continue its 1-54 Forum program for discussions and talks. “We flirted with the idea for a couple years,” Touria El Glaoui, 1-54’s founding director, reported in an interview. “Pioneer Works have been amazing partners, and we’re really sad to leave there. But the galleries told us of their desire to move closer to their audience and their collectors. They felt that we were considered a fringe fair, being in Brooklyn.” 1-54 coincides with the Frieze New York fair on Randall’s Island and is named for the notion of one continent with 54 countries. The event has grown due to an increased interest in African art. “It was something we needed to do, and I think we found the right place,” El Glaoui said. “The fact that we’re so close now to collectors in the center of town is helpful for the fair. I don’t want to isolate contemporary art from the continent by staying in Brooklyn. We need to be in the middle of things.” In related news, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair has announced the 18 international galleries participating in its second edition in Marrakech, Morocco, which will take place at La
© Industria Print
Mamounia hotel on February 23 and 24 with previews on February 21 and 22.
this culturally rich city and give visitors a great insight into its thriving art scene.”
The fair (which also takes place in London and New York) will include seven galleries from Africa: Galerie Cécile Fakhoury (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire / Dakar, Senegal), Goodman Gallery (Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa), L’Atelier 21 (Casablanca, Morocco), Loft Art Gallery (Casablanca), LouiSimone Guirandou Gallery (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire), Retro Africa (Abuja, Nigeria), and Siniya28 (Marrakech).
A full list of participating galleries can be found on www.artdictionmagazine. com.
First-time exhibitors include Galerie Poggi (Paris), Goodman Gallery (Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa), In Situ – fabienne leclerc (Paris), and Siniya28 (Marrakech). The fair will be complemented by 1-54 Forum, a program of talks and events curated by art historian and curator Karima Boudou, with a focus on the African-American painter, jazz musician, and poet Ted Joans. El Glaoui said in a statement, “We are thrilled to be returning to Marrakech for the second year with such a strong line-up of both new galleries and old friends. It’s an exciting moment to form deeper connections to
Industria in the West Village. Courtesy of Industria.
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Louis Armstrong House Museum Receives Grant from New York City The Louis Armstrong House Museum, a National Historic Landmark, has received an additional $1.9 million grant from New York City. The monies are designated to renovate the existing building and expand its campus to a nearby building called Selma’s House. A previous amount of $1 million had be designated to the project in 2017. The Louis Armstrong House Museum signifies the different layers of Armstrong’s identity and importance. Louis Armstrong House Museum
news The small brick house is where the jazz musician and his wife Lucille Wilson lived for forty years; it became a museum in 2003 after the pair died in 1971 and 1983, respectively. The white house that sits next to Armstrong’s former residence in Corona, Queens was the home that belonged to Selma Heraldo, a longtime friend of the family who became a fixture of the house museum’s program. She often told visitors about her famous neighbors, who arrived in 1943. Heraldo left her home to the House Museum upon her death in 2011. She wanted to keep the house’s original look, but the museum has had difficulties with the upkeep. For example, last winter the boiler burst, although the museum hopes to restore its condition and maintain its historic character. Their grant money will also go toward adding office and storage space in Selma’s House. The museum plans to renovate its kitchen for catering so that food may be served at concerts
and other events at the museum. The Louis Armstrong House Museum collection includes 1,600 recordings; 650 home-recorded reel-to-reel tapes in hand-decorated boxes; 86 scrapbooks; 5,000 photographs; 270 sets of band parts; 12 linear feet of papers, letters, and manuscripts; five trumpets; 14 mouthpieces; 120 awards and plaques; and more. Victoria and Albert Museum Plan for its Satellite Location The Victoria and Albert Museum revealed plans for its satellite location, called V&A East, in London’s former Olympic Park. To be included are two buildings: a waterfront museum and a research center designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro with assistance from Austin-Smith:Lord and the Dublinbased architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, respectively. The museum will have a spacious temporary exhibition gallery that presents two shows a year, with one out of every
four organized by the Smithsonian Institution. The space’s inaugural show will be a collaboration between V&A and the Smithsonian. The National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Air and Space Museum will be among the Smithsonian’s first lenders. According to a museum statement, the main objective of the research center will be to house a collection of 250,000 objects and “reinvent the idea of a museum store” after the V&A loses its current store in Blythe House, which the government is selling. The new facility will occupy Here East, the former Olympic broadcasting center. This will likely be the United Kingdom’s largest museum project for the next decade with a planned completion date of 2023. The mayor’s London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) is overseeing the project and aims to raise the largest share of the funds for the waterfront plan through housing
Internal render view of the new VA collection and research centre at Here East designed by Diller Scofidio Renfro © Diller Scofidio Renfro.
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news
The NEA serves as an important resource for institutions in smaller, underserved communities that don’t necessarily attract the attention of wealthy philanthropists. NEA chairperson Mary Anne Carter. Photo courtesy of the National Endowment for the Arts.
sales. The Greater London Authority has pledged £385 million (~$501 million) in addition to the UK government’s £151 million (~$196 million) and University College London’s £270 million (~$351 million). The Foundation for FutureLondon, LLDC’s charitable arm, is also fundraising from other sources.
appointment was announced by the New York Times. Although she has minimal experience in the arts, Carter founded a consultancy firm and has earned a reputation as an effective behind-the-scenes dealmaker who has eschewed the more public advocacy of her predecessors.
Carter will be only the 12th person to head the agency, which provides Donald Trump Appoints Mary federal grant money to arts organizaAnne Carter to Lead the National tions in all 50 states. The post was Endowment for the Arts previously held by Jane Chu, who was appointed by President Obama and Mary Anne Carter will step up as chair- resigned effective June 4 after four man of the National Endowment of the years in the role. The NEA serves as an Arts. Previously a former policy adviimportant resource for institutions in sor to Governor Rick Scott of Florida, smaller, underserved communities that Carter has been unofficially in charge don’t necessarily attract the attention of the arts funding agency, first as the of wealthy philanthropists. But some senior deputy chairman and then as conservatives see the agency, and its acting chairman, since joining the NEA counterpart the National Endowment during the transition process after the of the Humanities, as an example of 2016 election. frivolous government spending on programming that serves only a small “I am honored and humbled to fraction of the population. be nominated for this position,” said Carter in a statement. Her Trump had planned to eliminate the ArtDiction | 10| November/December 2018
NEA and NEH since 2017, but the agencies have gained support from the cultural sector. Additionally, Congress passed a 2019 budget earmarking a combined $155 million to the NEA and NEH—$2.2 million more than the 2018 budget. This followed a $2 million increase in the 2017 budget, although neither increase kept up with inflation. A White House statement noted that Carter’s “commitment to the arts stems from the challenges faced by her child with dyslexia. Finding schools that employ the arts as a teaching method makes the learning process both productive and enjoyable for her daughter.” In an interview, Carter stated that she wants to “ensure that all Americans not only have access to the arts but access to this agency.” Her priorities include expanding the NEA’s work with the military through programs such as Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network.
exhibits Eye to I: Self-Portraits from 1900 to Today November 4, 2018—August 18, 2019 This exhibition explores how American artists have chosen to portray themselves since the start of the last century. In the age where people are confronted with “selfies” that flood social media, this exhibit, which draws primarily from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection of self-portraits, examinees the fluidity of contemporary identity and reassess the significance of self-portraiture in relation to the country’s history and culture. More than 75 works will be on display by artists such as Josef Albers, Patricia Cronin, Imogen Cunningham, Elaine de Kooning, Edward Hopper, Joan Jonas, Jacob Lawrence, Alice Neel, Louise Nevelson, Diego Rivera, Lucas Samaras, Fritz Scholder, Roger Shimomura, Shahzia Sikander, and Martin Wong. Eye to I: Self-Portraits from 1900 to Today is curated by Brandon Brame Fortune, chief curator, National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition concludes the Portrait Gallery’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and an expanded, illustrated companion book will be published in spring 2019. Modern American Realism Highlights from the Smithsonian’s Sara Roby Foundation Collection October 20, 2018—April 28, 2019
Edward Hopper, Cape Cod Morning, 1950. Oil on canvas, 34 1/8 x 40 1/4 inches. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation.
A selection of work from the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Modern American Realism includes the range of what can broadly be called modern realism—from sociopolitical to psychological, from satirical to surrealist. Drawn from works collected by the Sara Roby Foundation, the exhibition includes 44 paintings and sculptures from 1910 to 1980 by Will Barnet, Isabel Bishop, Paul Cadmus, Arthur Dove, Edward Hopper, Wolf Kahn, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Jacob Lawrence, Reginald Marsh, and Honoré Sharrer, and others. Sara Roby (1907-1986) believed that the best way to encourage the visual arts America was to acquire the works of living artists and exhibit them to the public. The Sara Roby Foundation began collecting American art in the mid-1950s, and during the next 30 years assembled a premier group of paintings and sculpture by the country’s leading figurative artists. The resulting collection captures both the optimism and the apprehension of the years following World War II. Many of the works are movingly human, such as Dowager in a Wheelchair (1952) by Philip Evergood, while others, by artists such as Robert Vickrey, provoke us to decipher meanings imbedded in multifaceted andenigmatic scenes. Sara Roby championed realism at a time when critics celebrated abstract expressionism and “action painting.” However, she was unwilling to be controlled by her own collecting criteria. In addition to obtaining masterpieces by Edward Hopper, Paul Cadmus, and their contemporaries, the Foundation showed cultural range by purchasing key works by Stuart Davis and Louise
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Beaumont Newhall Self-Portrait, 1970, Gelatin silver print, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.
Nevelson, and regional breadth by collecting works by Mark Tobey and Morris Graves, both preeminent Northwest Artists. Yasuhiro Ishimoto: Someday, Chicago September 6—December 16, 2018 Yasuhiro Ishimoto: Someday, Chicago explores the work of American-born photographer Yasuhiro Ishimoto (1921–2012) through the lens of Chicago, where he lived for more than a decade and where he would often return throughout his life. Declared as one of the most influential photographers of Japan in the 20th century, Ishimoto also maintained deep ties to his adopted home city where he arrived in 1945 after having been interned during World War II. It was in Chicago where he first developed his uniquely modernist vision—both at the historic Institute of Design (ID) in dialogue with László Moholy-Nagy, Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, and other teachers there; and in the city’s streets, where he captured changes reflective of broader societal shifts happening across the United States. By exploring the impact of his work— and in particular of his Someday, Somewhere and Chicago, Chicago photograph series—this project suggests how Ishimoto spread his vision beyond Chicago and the United States, and into an international arena. This exhibition, hosted by the DePaul Art Museum, is guest-curated by Jasmine Alinder, Associate Professor of History, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and John Tain, Head of Research, Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong,
music Novo Amor - Birthplace Novo Amor is a wizard. The artist is multi-talented and extremely versatile — he writes, plays, sings, and above all, he puts some captivating stuff on his audience’s platter. We loved the title track “Birthplace,” aided by a mesmerizing music video. The album is all about creating an impact, which it does nicely. Best track: “Birthplace” Basement – Beside Myself
The seventh album rolled out by Disturbed needs no introduction. Evolution is one great, enjoyable rock album. “Are You Ready” is a stand-out track with killer beats and cool lyrics. The one downside to the album is that it is pretty predictable, but that is simply Disturbed’s signature style coming through. The most notable factor in this body of work is the group’s maturity. The songs on Evolution seem to be more consciously aware, with a social message theme running throughout. Best track: “Are You Ready?”
This album is tailor-made for the lover of alternative rock. The entire project is simply fun. You just cannot put a tag to any one track; from the beginning to the end, it’s all great music. In an interview the band’s vocalist Andrew Fisher is reported to have said, “As soon as I heard the start of ‘Disconnect’ when we were playing around with ideas two summers ago, I felt it had something that made me want to play it again and really try and sing along.” The U.K. band masterfully takes its listeners to a throwback era we all loved.
London-based artist who knows a bit about astrology, Nao has strategically named her latest work Saturn. The music is reflective of a phase in Nao’s life where innocence and heavy emotions are surrounding her soul. Nao is blessed with a voice to remember. Her tracks can easily change up the tempo; she can swiftly shift from husky and sultry to armor-piercing notes. The tracks break the mundane and smash stereotypes typically attached with R&B musicians.
Best track: “Disconnect”
Mick Jenkins – Pieces of a Man
Disturbed – Evolution
TThe music in Pieces of a Man is the kind of album that real admirers of gourmet hip-hop and rap will enjoy. One highlight of the album is hearing the voice of Gil Scot Heron. The lyrics are, as usual, inspired by religion and street life. The only downside to the album is the fact that Chicago rap is undergoing an evolution of sorts and this album, although a great one, does not do complete justice to it.
Best track: “Orbit”
Best track: “Heron Flow” Nao – Saturn This album is R&B, pop, and funk brewed to perfection. A
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www.ArtDictionMagazine.com
Portrait
P
ortraiture and portrait painting is an art for as long as it is a social addiction that has a global attraction. Moreover, individuals who exercise artwork of images have one key factor that enhances their effectiveness. They have the capability to pick up what they see, which enables their images to appear more real. Portraits are a representation of an individual, an animal or a group. The likenesses are incredibly powerful and appealing in their characteristics. More so, they connect people to the individual or animal in the interpretation. More than just a discernible display of the individual or animal, a good portrait can tell the viewer a lot about the subject depicted. After all, it isn’t simply a “hand-painted photo�; it is a work of art. If you want your portrait to be more
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than just a plausible copy of a human face, stick with these five rules and the result will be amazing! 1. Ensure that you arrange proper lighting. Much of your success as a portraitist depends on lighting. Doing it right will give you a clear idea of shapes and shades and allow you to avoid many blatant mistakes. If you have no opportunity to paint in natural light, use one strong light source vs. scattered light that will leave you short-sighted. 2. Establish the palette carefully. Skin tones have many hues, so you need to pick up your paints very carefully to convey their entire variety. Your palette should include both warm and cool hues of basic skin shades. Developing the skill of mixing colors on your own can be helpful in obtaining the proper range of shades. 3. Choose the best background. Background choice can make or break the
Painting picture. To avoid disaster, keep it neutral, but make sure it doesn’t merge with the face in the picture. A backdrop that is too bright or flowery will distract attention from the portrait itself, which can be counterproductive. 4. It is important that you do not forget about shadows. Putting some shadows on the face of your model will give the portrait a more realistic look. Study the subject closely to make your painting plausible. The nature and shape of facial shadows can vary from one part of the face to another. For instance, the nose shadow will be darker and more abrupt than cheek shadows. Sometimes the best way to paint a shadow is to cool the tone down instead of darkening it. Make observations and sketches to learn these nuances. 5. Ensure that you pay attention to details. There are many small things about
portraits that can be learned only with practice – or if someone more experienced is willing to share them with you. Here are some helpful tips: •The central part of the face tends to be somewhat warmer than its upper and lower parts. The lower lip usually has warmer shading than the upper one. •Despite their name, eye whites aren’t entirely white. They can have a yellowish or bluish tint. •While painting nostrils, put them in the nose, not underneath. •Separating the hair from the skin with a distinct line looks unnatural. There should be no strict boundary between them. As is the case with mastering any artform, practice is key. With diligence and implementing these tips along with a little bit of experimentations your portraits will be works of art!
Dominic
Model Kailey Hsu
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Artistic Communicator
E
rin Fitzpatrick has been interested in making art for as long as she can remember. “When I was a kid, I would daydream about making books of drawings that catalogued people’s whole houses. It’s kind of weird; I don’t know where that one came from,” she says. “I drew lots of horses and wildcats. In high school, Erin had a teacher who taught her to see and understand relationships between objects and space. “From there my interest took off. Being 14
and drawing a hand that looked like it was coming off the page, I was hooked.” Erin later went on to earn her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. “My major was General Fine Arts, which allows for a broad range of study,” she recalls. “I explored everything from portrait drawing to weaving to wood carving and African-American theater. Although I’m primarily a painter now, I only took the two required painting classes when I was in art school. A lot of what I know about painting has come
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“Aside from switching from drawing to painting, my work has become more intentional.”
from the practice of making hundreds of oil paintings over the last ten years.” Erin’s interest in portraiture became heightened in college when she began to notice subcultures. “I worked in a restaurant and at a retail shop in a quirky town with lots of characters, mod scooter kids, people who lived in a tent village, and lots of leftover hippie types,” Erin says. She would sit in the shop and imagine how she would paint each person, although at that time, she was almost exclusively making self-portraits. In 2008, in an effort to
overcome a spell of artist’s block, she decided to paint all of her coworkers. “They were a diverse group of interesting people (one is a famous musician now). From there I got asked to do an exhibit. Portraits have been nonstop since then; I’ve probably painted and drawn 600-700 people.” Her artistic style has evolved over time. “Aside from switching from drawing to painting, my work has become more intentional,” she says. “I’ve gone from focusing on who the model is as an individual, painting them in their own
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Sheila
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clothes and homes in a found setting, to creating a character with my model. I give them a persona. I build a set and dress the model in wardrobe.” Erin reveals that she’s also become more comfortable with paint. “I’m less uptight with how I apply it to the surface. My marks are less tentative and more juicy.” Inspired by editorial fashion shoots, interior design, textiles, travels, and formal aspects of design (e.g., shape and color), Erin is currently planning her next series of paintings. “Some of the portraits are inspired by model casting photos, with all my models looking natural and wearing the same black tank top. Others are inspired by a trip that
I took to Cuba and the Santeria initiates wearing all white; these paintings are more mysterious,” she says. For the last group of paintings, she’s pulling inspiration from fashion from the 20’s, 70’s and 80’s with headdresses, including turbans, oversized hats, and bath towels. “I’m also looking at a lot of old Hollywood images and symbols of secret societies. I want to create a character who could be high society by day and secret society by night.” To see more of Erin’s work, go to www.erinfitzpatrickportraits.com.
“My favorite pieces are the breakthrough pieces, the paintings that I make and know that I’m onto something new. Lane in Red (2012) was when I started editing my mark making and being selective about brushstrokes.”
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Lane in Red ArtDiction | 21 | November/December 2018
“Brynn and Kristin (2014) was the first painting based on a storyboard that I created. Everything in the painting was intentional. It was the first piece that was painted from models I cast instead of people I knew.�
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Sarah Lee ArtDiction | 24| November/December 2018
Elise and Lane ArtDiction | 25 | November/December 2018
“Portraits have been nonstop since then; I’ve probably painted and drawn 600-700 people.”
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Greglan
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Erin’s Creative Process I save every image that I see that gives me a feeling of energy, everything that makes me feel excited. I take screen shots, save images on boards on social media, and cut them out of magazines. A wall in my studio is covered in these images. When I see a common thread, I start creating a story and looking for models. I don’t like to rely on found locations anymore, so I create a setting. Sometimes this means importing textiles to act as wallpaper, and other times the backdrop or rug in the scene is completely hand painted. Once I have my model, I purchase or borrow wardrobe and then have a photo shoot. I’ll take hundreds of photos and choose one or two as the references for my painting. The planning and setting up for the photo shoot can often take longer than the painting itself.
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Kari
A History of
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Portraiture
P
ortraiture has been a popular form of art for centuries. Before photography, painters captured the faces of humans. Early portraits, however, were often reserved for the noble class. In 1839, Robert Cornelius, who was a pioneer of photography, was able to make the first ever portrait or photograph of a person. He did so by setting a camera in the back of his dad’s gas lamp-importing business on Chestnut Street in the center of the city of Philadelphia. Traditional portraiture is a photograph of an individual or a group that clearly depicts the mood, expression, and personality of the subject. In general, the focus of the photo is usually emphasized on the face of the person despite the fact that the entire body is normally included as well as the background. Traditional portraits come in a variety of styles, from lifestyle or candid portraits to classic style, and they can be prepared or made at home, in offices, a beach, or even in the garden and
it any clothing from formal to casual. In a nutshell, portraits depict the essence of a person or group. Once captured, they are usually rendered to a photographic paper in any of a variety finishes, such as glossy, matte, or satin. Another popular medium for portraits are oil paintings, which can last a long time and are able to convey qualities Portraiture has been a popular form of art for centuries. Before photography, painters captured the faces of humans. Early portraits, however, were often reserved for the noble class. In 1839, Robert Cornelius, who was a pioneer of photography, was able to make the first ever portrait or photograph of a person. He did so by setting a camera in the back of his dad’s gas lamp-importing business on Chestnut Street in the center of the city of Philadelphia. Traditional portraiture is a photograph of an individual or a group that clearly depicts the mood, expression, and personality of the subject. In general, the focus of the photo is usually emphasized on the face of the person despite the fact that the entire body
Las Meninas
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is normally included as well as the background. Traditional portraits come in a variety of styles, from lifestyle or candid portraits to classic style, and they can be prepared or made at home, in offices, a beach, or even in the garden and it any clothing from formal to casual. In a nutshell, portraits depict the essence of a person or group. Once captured, they are usually rendered to a photographic paper in any of a variety finishes, such as glossy, matte, or satin. Another popular medium for portraits are oil paintings, which can last a long time and are able to convey qualities and emotions that photographs sometimes lack. Other things may then be applied to the portrait, such as a UV protective spray, before being mounted on a board or matted on a frame.
Since its primary focus is on the human subject, it has the ability to symbolize the essence of an individual in a society in a great way. In today’s culture, which is becoming less concerned about human nature and world conditions, portraiture is increasingly becoming one of the only refuges to preserve love, culture, humanity, and care. Since us human beings are bound by love and honour, in the form of art, the only portraiture can realize this. Portraiture is an important art discipline and adds value to the arts in general, as its primary focus is generally on the human subject. Great artists are able to capture the personality, face, expression, even the inner essence of the person through the portrait, by being well-versed in anatomy and light placement, as well as possessing expertise
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in capturing emotions; all factors which lead to a complete and successful portrait. Some of the most famous portrait of all times include The American Gothic, which was painted in 1930 by Grant Wood, an American painter; The Portrait of Madame X, painted in 1884 by John Singer Sargent; and Girl with a Pearl Earring, painted in 1665 by Johannes Vermeer. Another famous work is Las Meninas, painted by Spanish painter Diego Velazquez in 1656. This painting is so famous that the BBC named it “the world’s first photobomb.” The painting shows the Infanta Margaret Theresa Margarita in the Royal Alcazar of Madrid, side by side with her maids, two dwarfs, a dog, and a bodyguard. Las Meninas has been defined by many as the father of “theology of painting” and “the true philosophy of the art.” It was a masterpiece which depicted the expertise of Diego Velazquez. The most
famous of all, however, is the Mona Lisa, painted in 1517 by Leonardo da Vinci. Referred to by many as the greatest artist of all time and a preeminent figure of the Italian Renaissance, da Vinci’s portrait was described in The Independent in 2005 as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, the most parodied work of art in the world.” As traditional portraiture continues to evolve today, many artists are challenging the traditional aspects of the artform. Some artists portraits are based in surrealism; others reinvent classical art periods with adding splashes of modernism into their work. Portraits will be around as long as humans are, and it seems appropriate to expect this artform to continue its evolution.
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Miami Beach Dec 6–9
www.artbasel.com
Realistically
ESOTERIC WORLD
Surreal
K
erry Beall is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Manchester, England. Her love of visual communication and creativity are just some of her tools that she uses to create surreal portraits that tease the imagination. With an artistic process that’s always evolving, Kerry masterfully blurs the lines between surrealism and reality, inspiring us to question the world and how we respond to one another. AD: When did you become interested in art? KB: I’ve been interested in art from such a young age. I’d always choose to draw at every opportunity! AD: Did you receive any traditional education? KB: I didn’t go to a traditional art school; I trained as a graphic designer and graduated in 2008. I worked in the design industry for many years before I became a full-time artist. Graphic design has really influenced my work. I have a real love for visualising and putting together interesting compositions.
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PINK LADY
Roses of Sharon, 24” x 30”, 2010
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AD: When did you discover your love for portraiture? KB: I started painting a face in ink one evening. I was working in a design studio at the time (predominantly web design), so I wanted a break from the screen. I’m not sure if that was a conscious decision; I just felt really moved to paint something. I was also asked prior to that if I could contribute something creative to a charity auction. So, I guess all of that reasoning combined; I picked up a paint brush and painted a face. It was really exciting to discover it was actually quite good, and it actually looked like a face! As I started layering up the ink and adding the details into the eyes they
came alive! it was a blank page, and now it felt like almost a person with a pulse looking at me! The exchange of energy that was created was actually amazing. I felt alive too! It was a turning point, and it reignited my creativity and propelled me into a new direction. AD: What tools can you not live without? KB: Photoshop [and] my imagination. I use Photoshop to plan my drawings. Once the ink or paint is on the canvas it takes on a new identity and is often a developed and altered version of the original plan. I like to think on Photoshop! I was pulled towards that program at college and loved using it. It allows me to think, layer ideas and colours
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SEA
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SONGBIRD III
FLAWED GLASS
Yellow and Red, 18” x 24”, 2017
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and get inspired. My imagination is a tool I need. I see the images I want to create in my head and have practised at holding the image there long enough for it to become a physical reality. AD: What is your creative process? KB: My creative process is going through a change. I’m growing all the time as an artist and want to discover new and exciting ways to create works of art. I started out using charcoal and ink and merging the two together. I love that, but I want to experiment with more ideas and processes. I love oil paint – it blends like charcoal so you can get that super smooth effect. I’m also creating a new line of work with resin, so my process keeps changing! The consistency is in thinking of the idea, planning a composition and deciding on a medium that supports that particular concept. AD: Are your portraits based purely on imagination or from an actual person? KB: Definitely a bit of both. I like to create very realistic images of faces with a sur-
real twist. I’ve always had a vivid imagination and like to the blur the line between dreams and reality. Creating artwork that is executed in a realistic way, but combining subject matters in a surreal way is very exciting to me. AD: What inspires you to create? KB: I want my artwork to communicate. I almost feel that’s why my creative journey as an adult started with graphic design. It’s all about visual communication. I am aware that my work is experimental, and I am trying different processes and mediums, but I am inspired at the thought of creating a new thematic body of work that questions how we respond in this world and to each other. I know that’s where my work is going, but I’m enjoying the journey. For more information, visit www.kerrybeall.com.
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I want my artwork to communicate. I almost feel that’s why my creative journey as an adult started with graphic design. It’s all about visual communication.
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FRACTURED FLIGHT
FLAWED GLASS
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BLOOM
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EMERALD
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The Benefits of Drawing
D
oodling, scribbling, sketching, drawing: the verbs of putting writing utensil to paper and creating. Drawing has long been associated with having social and emotional benefits. People who draw regularly display higher levels of creativity and increased emotional intelligence. Ar t therapy, a term coined in 1942 by British ar tist Adrian Hill, 1 has been used by therapists to help with emotional troubles, learning disabilities, and as a form of healing. But there is more to drawing than just the emotional
benefits, as vast as they are. Drawing allows our creative ideas to become physical. By sketching out what is in our heads, we are able to make it tangible; it is no longer floating around. This benefit is similar to what writers feel when they have that idea that they just need to put on paper to get star ted. A 2009 study out of the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom found that people who doodled— that is, put visual ideas down on paper while listening to someone— had a 29% better recall of the information that they heard
1. Hogan, S. (2001). Healing arts: The history of art therapy. London: Jessica Kingsley. p. 135.
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“We know that there are emotional benefits to art and drawing . . .” (study published in the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology). Drawing used to be an integral par t of the study of various sciences (think back to Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches or the drawings of Dar win’s finches). Obviously, recent advances in the ability to take a picture of something has changed the scientific need to draw, as drawing by hand is cer tainly more time consuming. However, the benefits that come from drawing far outweigh the convenience of taking a picture. Drawing and labeling the par ts of an insect being studied increases the ability to remember. It also forces the ar tist to obser ve without bias, pay attention to the small details, and see things that frequently would other wise
have been missed. Do these obser vation skills carr y over to our emotional intelligence? Probably. We know that there are emotional benefits to ar t and drawing, and it would seem appropriate to conclude that being able to approach the world in an unbiased manner and obser ve the whole picture would almost cer tainly help us see society more completely. So maybe drawing isn’t just an ar t form, or a means of spending our time while listening to a boring lecture. Maybe it isn’t just the verb of putting writing utensil to paper and creating. Maybe it’s the verb of self-healing, growing emotional intelligence, and jotting in our heads.
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artist index Page 16 Erin Fitzpatrick www.erinfitzpatrickportraits.com
Page 36 Kerry Beall www.kerrybeall.com
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www.togetherwemade.com painttogetherinfo@gmail.com
www.friendsofpuertorico.org
www.piasa.fr
