Working on portrait art but struggling to make your pieces stand out? These are my top tips for making portraits pop. From colour choices to abstract details, I hope these pointers help you create images that will captivate your audience.
If you need the tools to work with, see our picks of the best drawing tablets and the best digital art software.
01. Show yourself
I love it when artists show their faces and share more about themselves. People want to know who is behind the art they see, so be present as an artist. What’s a Picasso without the artist? It’s just another painting.
02. Find the right balance
When I struggle to find the right direction for my art, it’s usually because I either lean towards an extremely realistic or extremely abstract style. I always find it’s when I make nuanced changes that are a good blend that it works out for me.
03. Stay true to yourself
With social media changing so fast, being an artist seems to be less about doing your thing and more about how loud you can be to get the attention. That may feel unnatural, so learn how to adapt to stay relevant, but try to do it while being yourself.
04. Be consistent
We’ve all been there. We start passionately on something, but as soon as we don’t get the reaction we hoped for, it seems like it was all for nothing. If you continue to push what motivated you to begin with, you will succeed.
05. Let the intrusive thoughts in
Be brave and dare to change your process if you feel stuck. Allow brushstrokes you would’ve seen as intrusive and too experimental. This was the only way for me to break out of my comfort zone and discover abstract shapes that make my work what it is today.’
06. Less is more
I like to create artworks that don’t need to be either detailed or complicated to make a statement. The less noise you make, the clearer the message will be.
07. Colour choices
Colours are important to set the mood of a piece. Never choose at random; limit your palette to 5-7 colours. Don’t be afraid to use wildly different tones.
08. Don’t dwell
Sometimes we get lost in the process of the art and feel too attached. Let go of that habit. Start over if you need to and focus on the goal of the painting.
09. Find the feeling
Conveying a mood that captivates the viewer is so exciting. Expressing your feelings through art is a real privilege, especially when others can relate.
10. Get abstract
I like to accompany my portraits with bold shapes that may seem intrusive at first. Be confident with this – the results can be exciting and unexpected.
For more art advice, see these tips to improve your sketches and Slawek Fedorczuk's landscape art tips. We also recently published Greg Manchess's art tips for more dynamic paintings.
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