Looking at ‘Artist Portraits’ Exercise

Learning Outcome 1.8 : Students should be able to discuss examples of historical & contemporary art

What you need for this task:

A. Homework sketchbook OR any sheet of paper if you don’t have your

sketchbook. (You can type your answers on your computer either)
B. A pen or pencil
C. The ‘Portrait Examples’ attachment (sent with this work package)

Study at the x 4 portraits on the ‘Portrait Examples’ attachment and

answer the following questions:

1. Choose your favourite portrait from the ‘Portrait examples’.

2. Write down the:

a. Name of portrait artist

b. Title of portrait
c. Year it was made

3. Write a description of your chosen - you can use any of the keywords
below to help you:

Line / lines - Shape - Proportions - Shading / light & shade

- facial features (Nose, eyes, mouth, eyebrows) - head - hair -
Charcoal - Ink - Colours - pattern - texture - realistic/cartoon-like

4. Say why you chose this portrait

See an example of this exercise on the next page:

 Looking at ‘Artist Portraits’ Exercise

Here is an example of a description of a portrait

Title: Drawing of King Henry VIII

Name of artist: Hans Holbein the Younger
Date : 1540 AD

Description:
This is a portrait of Henry VIII’s face. He
is looking directly at us and looks very
serious. His mouth is tightly closed.
He is wearing a hat that we can’t see fully.
The artist used a pencil to draw the
portrait and used chalks to add colour.
We can see some colour in his cheeks, his
eyes and his mouth.
His beard is made of wavy pencil lines to
give the beardy texture.
White chalk highlights are added in the eyes, forehead and sides of face.
Holbein used very soft lines to make the shading around his eyes and
nose and for his eyebrows.
It’s a very realistic portrait.

I like this sketch because it’s of a very famous King and I think the
artist drew what he saw instead of trying to flatter him.

Picture Source: https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/henry-viii-and-royal-supremacy