I know several of my readers (and writers. and self.) are unemployed, and have wondered what to do with their new found time (besides, of course, looking for nonexist jobs, completely changing their future plans, and/or questioning the meaning of life). Well, how is this for a new column: Unemployment Project of the Week.
This week’s project: make a portrait of a portrait. This especially good for those of you, like myself, who have limited artistic ability. A portrait is hard, but if a portrait has already been made, an artist has already showed you the portrait-sitter’s most prominent and important features.
I am no artistic genius, but you can see I had fun with the above Frida paintings, took artistic liberties, and still managed to get something that is identifiable as the artist herself. To make these, I looked at a portrait of Frida Kahlo (far left, by Frida herself) and made two very different versions, the one in the middle is about 8×10 and in acrylic, and the one on the right is a little moleskin notebook sketch with watercolor.
You also don’t have to make a painting of a painting, you can make a painting of a photo, or any-which-way you choose. As you can see, I ruined this little cartoonish-painting (I suppose I could try and fix that left side of his face) I did on a business card-sized artist trading card. Nonetheless, you can tell who it is because it’s a famous portrait, so I was still pretty satisfied (expectations are low for the unemployed, alas).
And, finally, one of the most fun ways to re-create a black and white portrait is by making a linoleum print (pictured here hanging on my bulletin board with a nice little sharpie covering it). I think these are very eye-catching. Check out my sort-of old, but-still-completely-relevant linoleum print tutorial here.
Have fun with your portraits!
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9 Responses for "Unemployment Project of the Week: Make a Portrait of a Portrait"
these look great!!! what artistic talent!
This is an awesome idea, Maria! I love it! Now off to go brainstorm…
Thanks guys, it was really fun. I highly recommend trying it because even if you lack extreme artistic talent you can still have some success!!
These all are really great, Maria. I love the linoleum print especially. Perhaps I’ll try to do it too using your kindly supplied tutorial.
Believe it or not, I feel busier than before I got laid off. Weird.
Melisa: I know exactly what you mean! I feel like I have so much to do now, and I also feel this immense pressure to do everything I always said I’d do “if I had the time”.
limited artistic ability? psh!
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