Portrait Research

My research for the first portrait project started off differently. I worked backwards. Instead of looking at other artists and drawing inspiration, I made a rough self sketch and decided to match it back to an artist to see what I am most likely follow. I looked at artist portraits that I knew first.

Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo all have portraits that are very unflattering to themselves. This could of been intended to push a message as is known with Van Gogh  or Frida. So I was encouraged to try for what I see in my own reflection, though Rembrandt and Van Gogh's style of course is unattainable and I found Frida's subject matter to be far too literal, though her style was something I feel I could work towards in years to come.

Kara Walker's artwork is simply pure genius and far from any minuscule talent I may have. Kahinde Wiley has a style that I would also steer towards, especially as he is niche into African American subjects there is much to learn for the blending of colours in this piece.  In the end it was between Wiley and David Hockney. Maybe a mixture,  a use of media like Wiley, use of scale and pose like Hockney though and very much his subject matter.

I see that Hockney's style  is different from what I may work in, but his subject matter seems very honest. He sees beauty in the everyday and captures in on canvas.Wiley's work as great as it is would be very self serving for me and worse yet to attempt for a self portrait.

As always my technical limitations will limit my success of my piece, but thanks  to a great demonstration last class and the growing knowledge of a forgiving media I feel will compromise a good end result.

I voted for this initial project because I wanted to try with a simple portrait first before I rise to include content.