Preparation for the First Assignment

In preparation for the first Assignment I looked at many examples of portraiture, including artists [Patrick Earle http://www.patrickearle.com/] and magazines, these gave me very good ideas which I have tried to replicate. Patrick Earle also led me to one of his influences Édouard Manet [1832–1833] a French painter with a post-modern approach to portraiture. I too like his style and can see this influence in Earle’s work. 

The following images appealed to me showing great pose, composition and detail not to just a single person but to many.

   

Figure 1 The cafe concert 1878 [Manet]                                 

 Figure 2 Berthe Morisot, 1872 [Manet]

My favorite though from Manet’s vast collection is the The Plum [1878]. This to me gives an image of boredom, the pose looks almost lifeless, accompanied by an untouched or unwanted desert, whilst smoking a cigarette. The eyes, looking outside of the frame, in combination with everything else make a wonderful head and torso portrait. I will keep Manet in mind and perhaps try to replicate this image in some way as a photograph.

Figure 3 The Plum, 1878 [Manet]