<< Back

Portrait Art

A good portrait study is truly a work of art, which rarely occurs by chance, but most often is the result of planning, cooperation and attention to detail.

In an ideal portrait the viewer is drawn into the composition by the subject and the relationship of the subject to the environment and secondary visual elements. After the image has made its initial impact on the viewer; the eyes should be drawn within the portrait, noticing details and subtleties that add to the overall scene or story.

The viewer's attention should eventually return to the central portrait subject with a feeling of some understanding or empathy. Props or elements that add to this understanding help support the image. Distractions, elements that are out of place or over-powering secondary subjects, fight for the viewers attention; and tend to dilute the overall impact of a portrait.
For groups, or in portraits with more than one subject, the individuals are best arranged so that each subject creates a separate image within the overall scene. In an ideal portrait these individual images create a story by the way they relate to each other within the composition.

Give viewers insight into your portrait with the extra hint of a descriptive title or caption!

Think of your portrait as a work of art that will be on display. A title that conveys a message, a point in time, a feeling or the event or reason for creating the image, will add meaning to your next portrait.

One way to really help your viewers understand your portrait is to give it a title or caption that describes what you want to get across. Be creative, it'll also help you think through your portrait planning.