Portrait Sculpture
Exhibition: In The Moment
Artist: AFA Permanent Collection - Various Artists
Overview
Portrait photography attempts to capture the personality of the subject and can be approached in many different ways, but are ultimately about the people. Participants will become the subject of a photograph and use the printouts to create a fragmented photographic structure to display various viewpoints of the subjects personality. This project emphasizes the personality of the portrait subject by removing the environment and other surrounding elements and focuses on the facial characteristics and emotions of the individual being photographed.
Objectives
Learn how to connect as a subject with a photographer
Capture images at different angles and combine them in to one composition
Create a complex layered image
Work with photographs both digitally and printed
Materials
Camera
Cardstock (3 pages per participant) 8.5” x 11”
Cardstock or Poster Board 11” x 17”
Printer
Simple photo editing software (Photoshop or Microsoft Word)
Cardboard or foam core squares (approx 1”)
Scissors
Glue
Ruler
Pencil
Instructions:
Step One
Have participants pair up in groups of two’s, they will be photographing each other.
After a few minutes of self-reflection, think of how you would like to portray yourself, what would you like people to know about you and how can you translate this through your facial expressions? The eyes have long been called “windows to the soul”, so that might be a good place to start. Connect with your partner and share a bit about yourself so that you will feel comfortable with each other in front of the camera.
Step Two
You will be taking turns photographing with your partner. Find a white background to shoot your photo so that your image is as clean as possible. Stand close to your subject so that they are in focus and also so that they are the only subject in the photo. Their head should take up the majority of the frame. Take two photographs of your subject;
First photograph, stand square in front of your subject and capture them straight on.
Second photograph, have your subject turn their head and take a side profile or photograph them from a different angle, with a facial expression of their choice.
Switch with your partner, you will become the subject and they will become the photographer.
Step Three
Using simple photo editing software, convert each photo to greyscale and adjust contrast so you have a high contrast photo with white highlights and black lowlights. If necessary, minimize any extra background by cropping image and then scale subject to fit page. Perform this procedure on all photographs. Make a duplicate of your first image but this time crop again so the subject is slightly larger/zoomed in compared to the original. Print all 3 images on cardstock.
Step Four
Keep cardstock print side up and using your pencil and ruler divide the page into sections. The sections do not need to be even, you can decide based on how you want to divide the facial features up as to where you will be cutting. Use your ruler and pencil to mark straight cutting lines. Cut along your pencil lines. Repeat with all three of your printed photographs.
Step Five
Start arranging your prints on the 11” x 17” paper. Play around with the arrangement until you are satisfied with the composition. Choose a few pieces to be your bottom layer, those can be glued directly to your base paper. Next, select your pieces for the next layer. Place print side down and glue a square piece of cardboard or foam core on to the back of each piece. Flip over and glue in to place. Repeat this process for your remaining layers; Your next layer will have 2 pieces of foam core glued underneath and third layer will have 3 pieces of foam core to increase the height as needed.
Variations
For younger participants, instructor can take photographs and edit digitally.