Assignment 4 A portrait or self-portrait combining line and tone

Three nights ago, my husband and I had the pleasure of staying a night in Cape Agulhas with friends from some thirty years ago. What stunned me about the interior of their living room were three tastefully framed, first print signed copies of Vladimir Griegorovich Tretchikof (1913 - 2006). They had evidently been bought from the artist by our host's mother and then stored in a chest. His work had been on display in an up-market clothing store, Garlicks, and he had personally signed it for her. The prints were unknown to her children and only rediscovered when she died. The colors are still jewel-like and are stunning portraits of what is believed to be his Eurasian muse, Leonora Moltema.(Tretchikoff Renaissance, 2006) The prints I got to view were: Lady from the Orient, Miss Wong and Balinese Girl.

Fig.1. Tretchikoff, Vladimir. Balinese Girl.

My favorite of the three prints was Balinese Girl (fig. 1). The model appears enigmatically absorbed in her private thoughts. There is a certain aloofness about her expression, yet the attention to her attire and the seemingly hapless colors in the background, add to the intrigue of the picture. According to the website, he shocked viewers and critics by painting his colors straight from the paint tube. Hence, the jewel-like colors muted only in his use of tones and tint of this hue. The skin of the sitter is without blemish, showing idyllic beauty in its luster and the smooth transition in tones. His treatment of tone is very subtle, with intricate linear details found in the drapery and jewelry.

On arriving back at Somerset West, I researched Tretchikoff's life via the website dedicated to his work and memory. I was amazed to find out that although Russian born, his career was launched as a result of his escaping execution by the Japanese during World War II. On his release the Japanese General expected him to report to the artist known as Kono, where he would work on the sets for a production being put on in Djakarta.(Tretchikoff Renaissance, 2006)

"Express your passion. Do what you love. No matter what." - Tretchikoff

His world-wide fame ironically commenced when he travelled to South Africa to be reconnected with his wife, Natalie, and eight-year-old daughter, Mimi. Initially his works were not recognized by the "underexposed" South African art scene. Andrew Lamprecht, the curator of the Iziko South African Gallery had this to say of his work: "Tretchikoff’s early work was bright, incorporated abstraction, often surrealistic in ways (this is the early work, I’m speaking of here). In any case the critics and the establishment did not like what they saw, and worse it was by a “foreigner” and even worse – a Russian!" (Stupart, 2011) His works were, however, eventually displayed to unprecedented gallery crowds throughout South Africa, and lead to his taking a tour of America and Canada. His work was extremely popular during the 1950s and 1960s.

I have decided to try to incorporate his rich use of hue and subtle tones in my next self-portrait.

Fig. 2. Diffracted light from lighthouse lens.

Fig. 3. Diffracted light playing off my face.

Initially, I was planning to do a portrait with the sun streaming across my face creating stark contrasts in light and tonality. However, when my husband and I visited the southern most tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas, I discovered this exquisite patch of diffracted light cast onto the interior wall of the lighthouse (fig. 2). I have always been mesmerized by diffused light, especially in the many places one finds the saturated colors of the rainbow. For fun, my husband suggested that I place my face in the path of the light for an intriguing image. After a few shots, he got the one that immediately inspired me to use for my final portrait study (fig. 3). I know that I am not technically looking into a mirror, but I am using prisms from the lens of the lighthouse as my light source and I was delighted with the prospect of being able to do a totally different version of my face.

I started out with quick pencil sketch to familiarize myself with the angle of the pose. I have never drawn this kind of angle before so I knew that my analysis of the facial features would be crucial to getting a realistic portrayal (fig. 4).

Fig. 4. Sketchbook practice.

I then tried out my various media in my sketchbook: watercolor pencils, tubed watercolors, water dissolvable fine markers, and ink pen. The more I practiced the more I realized that the face was definitely going to be the hardest part. The effects of the diffracted light over my face puts a very interesting twist to the lighting effects playing across my face. Through my experiments I realized that I needed to use watercolor paints on the face, and avoid lines that are too dark as they make the features to clownish. I also played with how I would interpret the nose and mouth. Both of these features were really tricky to get right (fig.5).

Fig. 5. Facial features practice. 

I liked the effect of the saturated watercolor paints with black watercolor pencil and pencil in the clothing, to emphasize the folds. I thought the loose rendition of my scarf would also work well in the final drawings (fig. 6).

Fig. 7. Clothing and hue practice.

I commenced by gridding off the face and trying to draw a proportioned sketch of my face and the background onto A2-sized white paper. I then worked in the entire background. Firstly, I shaded in the greys of the interior of the lighthouse, and the details of the metal work structure. I used washes of differing tones of grey, overlaid with pencil work and white watercolor crayon to add visual texture and interest to the surface.

Fig. 8. Painted metal detail. 

I then worked on the bronze vent that is at an angle behind my head. It is interesting how the shadow of my head totally changes the tonality and hue of the metal to the right of my head. I started with watercolor black pencil and green water dissolvable marker in the details of the vents. Over time the copper has marked areas with the green copper tarnish. I then washed the whole area with a brassy hue made from tubed watercolor paint. I worked white watercolor crayons and black pencil onto the surface to create the shine of the metal in the limited light.

Fig. 9 Bronze air vent detail.

Fig. 10. Neels, Alice. 

Virgil Thomas, 1971.

At this stage I was very nervous of working the facial features as I still was not satisfied with my working of my features in my sketchbook. To gain ideas, I reflected on the work of Alice Neels. She has executed numerous portraits in a loose style, which although executed in oil paints, have an almost water color luminosity to them. Her work, Virgil Thomas, 1971, has a similar angle to the face, although the light source is from the other side. Studying the features of this painting helped to give me the courage to tackle my features.

I started my face by working from the right side of my face (left in the picture). I laid down tonal layers of varying skin colored hues to create the shadows and highlights. I then went on to work the eye in detail, slowly adding darker hues. I started working on the glasses, but as the paper was still wet, the colors started to bleed, so decided to leave these details to later.

For each of the diffracted light zones, I used watercolor pencils with a slight wash of clear water to soften the edges and to blend the colors. Compared to the hues of my practice sketches, I aimed at browner deeper hues and tones. As I worked across the face into the more shadowed areas, I kept darkening the tones of the hues. The second eye was difficult as a lot of it was in fairly dark shadow, yet, there was still a lot of definition. I tried hard to ensure that the eyes did not appear depressed, like they had done in my previous self-portraits. I kept reworking the tones into the shadows around the eyes. At a later stage I went back and added the details to the glasses. I have enjoyed the challenge of trying to portray glasses in many of my various portraits.

The nose was a challenge as I not only had to make the hues and shadows convincing, but I also had to add the highlight at the tip where the light just caught the end of my nose.

Fig. 11. Eye details.

The lips were tricky as the light falls across them in an interesting manner. I eventually decided to understate the lips and teeth etc., as without this it would have made my face too clown-like. I think the way the light falls across the chin helps to make the upward thrust of my face convincing.

I worked the hair by firstly shading in patches of tones according to what the general hue and tone of the various areas were. I then tried to use calligraphic brush strokes to suggest individual hair configurations.

At this stage, I showed my husband my portrait. Together we decided that I need to look at the soft, fairly simplified style in which Tretchikoff handles the clothing of his subjects, to create a similar effect. I did not want the clothing to detract from my face. I also went back to my initial sketches and decided to keep the colors in the left shoulder lighter, than my initial sketch. I also tried to emulate the looser approach I had achieved in this preparatory sketch. I used watercolor black pencil to work the folds and suggest form.

Fig. 12. Final Self-portrait

On the whole, I feel that I have really stretched myself in this final portrait, beyond what I have previously been able to achieve. I tried to be innovative in my use of the diffracted light across my face and the upward view of the pose.

The area that I think was not as successful as I would have like is the hair. It looks a little contrived, but it does not detract from the facial features, which I think is positive.

I think that I have been able to create convincing facial features and the stance is an interesting one: I stand straining to get my shoulders against the walls of the lighthouse, while raising my face to meet the light.

This section of the course has definitely honed my ability to represent the human form. I feel as if I am starting to get to the point where my strokes are more expressive and indicative of the movement of the stance. I wish to continue to do gesture drawings as I feel that these have helped a lot in my being able to get general body proportions down, with less effort than previously.

Illustrations

Figure 1. Tretchikoff, V. Balinese Girl. [Art] Available at: http://www.vladimirtretchikoff.com/gallery.htm

Figure 10. Neels, A., 1971. Virgil Thomas. [Art] (National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.).

Works Cited
Stupart, L., 2011. Deadly Serious. [Online]
Available at: http://www.mahala.co.za/art/deadly-serious/
[Accessed 10 August 2016].

Tretchikoff Renaissance, 2006. Tretchikoff 1944: Meeting Lenka. [Online]
Available at: http://www.vladimirtretchikoff.com
[Accessed 10 August 2016].