Portrait from memory

For this exercise I wanted to go with a more stylistic approach than aim for something realistic as the outcome is bound to be odd. I chose to work with my POSCA Paint Markers again as they’re bold and will make great lines, as I wanted the focus to be on line. I chose to find some ones face on my trip to Tesco’s and it was going to be difficult as with Covid a lot of people have their faces covered. However I found a man in the parking lot packing his car with groceries without his mask on and did my best to remember his likeness.

Not my most exciting drawing ever, but it was fun to be a bit more loose and not worry so much about being exact. I remember the man was quite skinny, with a long face, no facial hair with his hair short and ruffled from the wind. It’s quite hard to make a portrait of someone you’ve never met and know nothing about. I can’t work in his personality because I have no idea what it is. The bright colours over compensate for a personality I do not know in a way. I feel that this isn’t a portrait to me. It doesn’t show who he is or what he does. It doesn’t tell us anything about him other than he has a long face and is skinny.

However this exercise has made me think more about what to include in my work to create an effective portrait. With their expression and pose, my use of colour and medium. These can all tell a story about a person and I want my portraits to say more. I know the person I am working with so I want my portraits to express him accurately.