Technique - Using Portraiture

A Love of Self Portraiture and Portraits

The Soul Food Cafe provides prompts and challenges for those who wish to participate in the Pythian Games This is one, suggested activity.

The Creative Armour Project was a huge success when it was introduced to students at LaTrobe Secondary College, a campus in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne.

Each year Year 12 students participated in this project as a part of their writing program and we had a big collection on display in the library.

Portrait writing and self portraiture are an effective device that writers and artists can use to kick start their work. This lens explores a range of portraiture and self portrait activities.

Portraiture

Anais Nin was a master of word portraits of her friends and acquaintances. It was her fine detail that helped to infuse life into the characters who were so much a part of her life. As Tristan Rainer points out in 'The New Diary' portraits evolve as another person evolves. She explains that they are as much a device for self discovery as they are a device for coming to know a character better.

Get a stack of magazines and put a character in a setting along with personal possessions like shoes, bag, wardrobe etc. Then make a portrait.

Alternatively there are a cast of characters in Lemuria just waiting to be developed. Use an existing character, like this Duwamish Ferry Woman, or make one of your own and put a word portrait on the Pythian Games. If you are using a drawing done by Heather Blakey please feel free to place it with your work.

Welcome to the world of Forensic Art. The Forensic Art site was developed out of the love of forensic art as well as a means of providing a resource to agencies or individuals that may require the services of a forensic artist. The site covers the various facets of forensic art, giving a brief description of each.

Take time to view the various pages and consider how you can use this valuable research material to enhance your writing. Use some of the personalities to establish characters in a spot of crime or mystery portraits.

A Collection of Links For Portraiture

Creative Self Portraiture: A project which involves purchasing a store mannequin.
Exploration of Self: What artists see when they look in the mirror.

Portraiture at Soul Food

A collection of portraits that have been created at the Soul Food Cafe.

Lemurian Portrait - Ebony Wilder: Ebony Wilder, the Ms Marple style housekeeper of the Lemurian Abbey and Riversleigh Manor, is mild mannered by day. But you do need to know that Ebony has long associations with a smuggling ring and had connections to dubious seafaring types from China who purport to have bottled the Elixir of Creativity. Ebony is none other than the notorious Captain Ebony Wilder, whose exquisite mind and swashbuckling style was the talk of the Lemurian Seas. She was created by Heather Blakey, webmaster of the Soul Food Cafe and creator of Lemuria.
The Ferry Woman - Part 1: Written by Barbara Banta this portrait provides insight in to one of the Lemurian Ferry Women.
Ferry Woman - Part 2: Written by Barbara Banta this portrait provides insight in to one of the Lemurian Ferry Women.
The Time Machine: If only Jason had a time machine he would have done so many things differently. He would have studied harder at University and got a better degree. Then he might have got a decent job instead of bumming around for two years.
Hennessey's Panel and Paint: Tom Hennessey was a spray painter and panel beater. Not just any spray painter and panel beater but the best spray-painter and panel beater around. He had been practicing his trade for years and his customers had nothing but praise for him. Tom liked that; happy customers talked to others and as far as he was concerned word of mouth was the best publicity he could get as it didn't cost him any money. Money was important to Tom Hennessey; more important than friends and more important than family.
Brenda Clipstone - Lemurian Portrait: At Riversleigh Manor there are many diversions. Brenda Clipstone offers martial arts and training with Chi in the gardens most days. Take your time to enjoy working with her. It will enhance your feeling of well being.
Sarah Queen of Pietown: Her name is Miss Sarah Sue and she is Queen of Pietown! She reigns over the diner, Pietown Stompin' Grounds, from her purple wheelchair. If she knows you, when she sees you come in, she squeals, "Hello!" and you feel like the most special person in the world!!
Melpomene: A digital portrait of Melpomene by Lori Gloyd.