The people we are inspired by
In this art project we will look how artist Amy Sherald ,Judy Bowman, and Bisa Butler use PROPORTION to create portraits of people in their communities that inspire them.
Artist will create a portrait of a person that inspires them. This could be a family member, friend, or community leader. Artist will choose to distort proportions of the face, or keep proportions realistic.
Click HERE to read about Judy Bowman
Judy Bowman uses PROPORTION in different ways in her work. Sometimes she distorts proportion to create abstract artworks, and other times she uses realistic proportions
"Art has given me the space and freedom to reframe narratives about African American people and culture. My art is not an imagined existence, it is one rooted in scenes that have nurtured my upbringing in Detroit’s Eastside community and Black Bottom neighborhood. It is the narratives of my family, friends, and the everyday people in the community and how we loved each other. Although my art reflects the personal memories of my family, it is also the memories of families in my community. My work is one founded on the vision to uplift humanity and leave a legacy that highlights the beauty and dignity of Black people. "
-Judy Bowman
Amy Sherald is an American painter. She works mostly as a portraitist depicting African Americans in everyday settings. Her style is simplified realism, involving staged photographs of her subjects.
Bisa Butler is an American fiber artist known for her vibrant, quilted portraits celebrating Black life--from everyday people to notable historical figures. Through her quilts, Butler aims to “tell stories that may have been forgotten over time.”
How to draw a face/head
People always say to me, "Oh I'm no good at drawing. I can barely even draw a stick figure." Well, just so you know, people are the hardest things to draw and if all you are trying to do is get the idea of a person across to communicate, a stick figure does it for our left brains. That's what I use in the game of pictionary just like everybody else.
People are hard to draw because we all know what they SHOULD look like. We see people every day...in the mirror or standing in front of us. Our eyes know the proportions and what goes where. So when someone draws a person incorrectly, we instinctively know.
However, EVERY person is different and has different proportions. That's what makes us all individuals. But there are a few basic rules to follow if you want to draw a general picture that resembles a non-specific person. Here are some images that you can print and use to learn the general rules (for personal use or classroom use only).
