THE PERCIVALS
activity book
THE PERCIVALS activity book
This book belongs to:
These symbols show you what to do for each activity in the book:
? CREATE
LOOK
WRITE
THINK
Cover image: Erica Gray Breakfast Poses, 61 x 51 cm, Acrylic, 2016 Glencore Percival Portrait Painting Prize finalist
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
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Environmental self-portrait photographs or paintings of people in their own environments and with objects that describe their life or personality Environment - the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates Symmetrical - made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis Asymmetrical - having parts which fail to correspond or match up to one another in shape, size, or arrangement; not symmetrical Abstract - art that does not attempt to represent reality, but rather seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, colours, and textures
Portrait - a painting, drawing, photograph or engraving of a person (a portrait of a pet is called an animal portrait) Cool colours - include shades of blue, green, violet and gray Warm colours - include shades of red, orange, yellow, brown and tan Complementary colours - colours that are opposite to each other on the colour wheel, and that when put together enhance the other Appropriation - the intentional act of altering, borrowing or copying already existing artworks in order to create a new artwork that imitates the original
Narrative - a spoken, written or visual account of connected events; a story Photojournalist - a journalist who presents a story with photographs False narrative - made up stories Self-portraits - Portrait of YOU made by YOU – commonly made using a mirror or photograph
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
Environmental Self-Portrait
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Look at this painting by Australian artist Brett Whitely. This is an environmental self-portrait. It is called this because the artist has painted himself in his usual surroundings, his home studio. An environmental self-portrait gives us clues as to the life of the artist.
Image: Brett Whiteley Self portrait in the studio 1976 Oil, collage and hair on canvas 200.5 x 259 cm Art Gallery of New South Wales Collection purchased 1977.
What clues can you see about the artist in this self-portrait? List three clues below: 1. 2. 3. 4
THE PERCIVALS activity book
At home, grab a hand-held mirror. In the space below draw yourself in your home environment.
What do you see around you? How are you feeling? What sort of clues did you leave in your self-portrait about your life?
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
Characterisation
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Giuseppe Arcimboldo was an Italian painter in the 1500’s. Arcimboldo is famous for his imaginative portraits made from lots of different materials such as fruits, vegetables, flowers and fish. Spring:
Autumn:
Image top: Giuseppe Arcimboldo Spring 1573 Oil on canvas 76 x 64 cm Louvre, Paris, France
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Image bottom: Giuseppe Arcimboldo Autumn 1573 Oil on canvas 76 x 64 cm Louvre, Paris, France
THE PERCIVALS activity book
Look at this portrait series titled Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons). Each season has been made from different things. What can you see?
Summer:
Winter:
Image top: Giuseppe Arcimboldo Summer 1563 Oil on panel 67 x 53 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum
Image bottom: Giuseppe Arcimboldo Winter 1573 Oil on canvas 76 x 64 cm Louvre, Paris, France
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
Symmetry / Asymmetry
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Look at the two famous portraits below. The painting on the left Self-Portrait -Time Flies by Frida Kahlo is symmetrical. Symmetrical portraits are like mirror images where each side of the black line is the same. The painting on the right Woman in Hat and Fur Collar by Pablo Picasso is asymmetrical. Asymmetrical portraits are different on each side of the black line. Asymmetry was often used by cubist artists, like Picasso, to create an abstract effect.
Image left: Frida Kahlo Self-Portrait – Time Flies 1929 Oil on Masonite 77.5 x 61 cm Collection of Antony Bryan
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Image right: Pablo Picasso Woman in Hat and Fur Collar 1937 Oil on canvas 61 x 50 cm Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
THE PERCIVALS activity book
Using the space provided below redraw Picasso’s Woman in Hat and Fur Collar. But see if you can make it symmetrical!
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
The Photographic Narrative
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Some artists chose to create portraits in order to tell a story, or a narrative. Dorothea Lange was an American photojournalist in the 1900’s. This is Lange’s most famous work Migrant Mother. This photograph tells the story of a mother who has seven children. In this image the mother comforts two of her children who are crying while she looks sadly into the distance. We can tell from their worn out clothing that the family does not have much money.
Image left: Dorothea Lange Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California 1936 Gelatin silver print 28.3 x 21.8 cm The Museum of Modern Art New York
Cindy Sherman is another American photographer who uses narrative to create her self-portraits. Unlike Lange, Sherman creates false narratives. In her series Untitled Film Stills Sherman uses make-up and costumes to show herself in different real-looking scenes. Make up a narrative for the Cindy Sherman photograph Untitled Film Still #48. Hints: Where is she going? Where has she been? How does she feel? What does she do for a living?
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
Image left: Cindy Sherman Untitled Film Still #48 1979 Gelatin silver print on paper 71 x 95.5 cm TATE Britain
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
Colour Theory in Portraiture URS O L CO
BLUE V IOL ET
O R
G
BL UE
CO OL
E ANG OR
NDAR Y SECO
SECON DAR Y
TE RT
Y NDAR CO SE
S UR LO CO
Y AR
RY IA
RE D
WA RM
ARY
OND
SEC
RED
TIARY TER
PRIMARY PRIMARY
TE RT
PR IM
TERTIA RY
W LO
AR Y
PRIMA RY
GREE N
ND
TIARY TER
PRIMARY
IOLET DV RE
CO
T LE
SE
SE CO N
RY DA
EEN W GR LLO YE
VI O
TERTI ARY
MARY PRI
RY IA
GE AN
E BLU
EN RE
?
YE L
YELLOW ORA NG E
On the right is a self-portrait by painter Matthys Gerber. Gerber uses a mix of block cool colours, warm colours and complementary colours to create his self-portrait. In the spaces to the right, re-create Gerber’s self-portrait by using only cool, warm or complementary colours. Have a look at the colour wheel above to help you choose your colours. Image opposite (top, left): Matthys Gerber Self Portrait 2002 Oil on polyester Collection of the University of Queensland, purchased 2005
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
SELF PORTRAIT
WARM
COOL
COMPLEMENTARY
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THE PERCIVALS activity book
Appropriation in Portraiture
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Appropriation is altering, borrowing or copying already existing artworks on purpose in order to create a new artwork that imitates the original. Here are some examples of appropriated famous portraits:
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Image left: Edvard Munch The Scream 1893, Oil, tempera, pastel and crayon on cardboard 91 x 73.5 cm National Gallery, Oslo, Norway
Image right: Andy Warhol The Scream (After Munch) 1984 Screenprint
Image left: Johannes Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring 1665 Oil on canvas 44.5 Ă— 39 cm Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands
Image right: Jane Perkins Girl with a Pearl Earring [detail]
THE PERCIVALS activity book
Australian artist John Brack was famous for exploring moments in everyday life. In this self-portrait you can see Brack has painted himself during the every-day activity of shaving. Create your own appropriated version of Self-Portrait by John Brack in the space provided below by borrowing some of the elements in this artwork. Hint: Think about changing the colours or the person in the mirror. Could it be you in the mirror?
Image above: John Brack Self Portrait 1955 Oil on canvas National gallery of Victoria Purchased with the assistance of the Gallery Women’s Association 2000
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Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Cnr. Denham & Flinders St, Townsville QLD 4810 07 4727 9011 ptrg@townsville.qld.gov.au www.townsville.qld.gov.au
@TCC_PercTucker /PercTuckerTCC Monday - Friday: 10am - 5pm Saturday - Sunday: 10am - 2pm Closed Public Holidays
Pinnacles Gallery 20 Village Blvd, Thuringowa Central QLD 4817 07 4773 8871 pinnacles@townsville.qld.gov.au www.townsville.qld.gov.au
@TCC_Pinnacles /PinnaclesTCC Tuesday - Sunday: 10am - 5pm Closed Mondays