This document outlines the instructions for a final course project assignment to create a portrait of someone they know. It provides guidance on conceptualizing the portrait, including conveying something about the subject and using various mediums and styles. Suggestions are given to think about the purpose of portraiture, capture the essence of the individual, and techniques like lighting, gesture, and capturing the subject in their best light. The assignment is to create a personal portrait that shows what they have learned in the course.

1. “Someone You Know”
final course project:
a portrait in any media
Glenn Hirsch, Instructor

2. The assignment:
A portrait of someone you know
(living or deceased)
Portrait must be personal –
convey something about the person being
portrayed.
Any size, any media,
from a photo or from life.

3. first, let’s think about answers
to these questions:

4. Why do a drawing or painting
in an age of photography
and digital reproduction?
(because it’s handmade and personal)

5. We know it’s personal
because the portrait
says the artist cares.
We know the artist
cares because of the
effort that goes into
details
Margreta McKeown

6. Michelle Laffon

7. Merinal Brunda

9. What is the "true portrait" of an individual?
Can one image capture everything?

10. John Reamer

11. Hilevi Lipson
Draw first
Get to know your subject in
a variety of poses and with
a variety of your ideas

12. What is the place of simple "description"
and what of evocative "theater?"

13. Colleen
McCrystal

14. What part does the beauty of drawing and
color – all by itself -- play in portraiture?

15. Mary MacDonald
If it’s someone
you know in frail
health, then put
the person in the
‘best light.’
Flatter them with
the truth: color,
light, pattern and
personal details.

16. Use class assignment ideas
you’ve learned
as possibilities
for your project

17. Cynthia Kanios
Chiaroscuro old master lighting

18. Fei Li

19. Cynthia Kanios

20. Geoff Kington

21. Allison Ferenstein

22. Elizabeth McDonald

23. Naomi Southard
portrait
at home

24. Anita Adams

25. Lorraine Wilson Peters

26. Charlotte Buchen

27. Nalani Jay

28. Patty Corwin

30. Raymond
Coshow

31. Lauryn Gold

32. Suzanna Fry
after William Waterhouse
A portrait in a master’s style

33. Kristin Bradley after Vincent

35. Jia Pu
portrait
inspired
by
fantasy
and
theater

36. Sivan Cohen

37. Fei Li

38. Zena Ryan

40. Doreen Delgado
portraits of children

41. Patricia Languedoc

42. Christian Rouet

43. Kate Eisenberg

44. Tami Avery

45. Betsy Crouch
remember that
gesture and
‘body language’
is a powerful tool

46. Daniel
Rabier

47. Elizabeth McDonald

49. Hadley Northrop

50. Bing Zhang

51. Peggy Millar
What if the
portrait is larger
than life?

52. Joseph
Hovadik

53. Lina JanusasCarrie Donovan
these are
done on
a roll of
white
paper

54. Catherine Kriel

55. the last assignment
Show your ambition
Show that you’ve learned something
Show that you care

56. Joseph
Hovadik