No two portrait artists are alike. Every portrait painter or sculptor has his or her own way of getting the job done. Some insist that the subject "sit" for the portrait. Others require that a subject sit once or twice for photo sessions, prefering to complete the work in their studio - without the interference of others present.
In those cases where the portrait painter or sculptor requires only live sittings, sessions may be long or short. They are generally interspersed with rest periods as a subject's comfort level must be maintained throughout the posing time. Live sittings can be few in number or several, depending on the complexity of the pose and on the visual artist's working methods. The schedule for these sittings is arranged either between the artist and the subject or is planned ahead by the artist's agent or gallery. Whether a portraitist uses photography or not isn't the question. What is important is that the portraitist knows his or her craft and completes a portrait which is of the quality commissioned by the client.
Today, a portrait subject's schedule is often very busy and time is of the essence. Even children have heavy school , art activity and sport schedules which often limit their ability to pose at a moments notice. Many portrait artists recognize this fact and taylor their sitting requirements to meet the needs of the client. Since the nineteenth century photography has become a useful tool for many portrait painters and sculptors. It makes life easier for both the portrait artist and the subject. Photo sessions are usually shorter, less complex and require fewer sittings. Using photography as a reference gathering tool is an accepted practice in the contemporary portrait creating environment though some painters and sculptors to this day frown on the practice - maintaining that the subject must be present at all times.
Whoever you choose as your portraitist - whether he or she is one who works traditionally or one who works from photographs, it is still up to the client to select the portraitist who most closely meets their requirements.
A client should also note that because a painter uses photographs this does not mean that the work should or will look like a photo. If it does, it is usually because the visual artist is not comfortable using this tool as a reference gathering implement. The camera is not a tool to "copy" from but rather a tool which allows the portraitist to gather the required information in a timely or more efficient manner.
The camera is only useful to a portraitist if he or she knows both the intricacies of photography and the skills of his or her trade as a portrait painter or sculptor. A visual artist must know of a camera's limitations. Lack of knowledge of photography usually causes portraits to end up looking like copied photographs which often have the same faults as bad photos: foreshortened arms, legs, bodies and a flattened appearance. Camera lenses have depth of field limitations which demand that a professional know how to overcome them. Though cameras may shorten sitting times, they can never replace the need for a portraitist to know anatomy and to be skilled in the art of drawing,.painting or sculpting.
It is the responsibility of the client, therefore, to consider these options and to choose whether they want their portrait done traditionally or through the use of contemporary methods. Naturally, the question of time and schedules will come into play in this decision making process.
© Bernard Poulin-2009 |
