Not Always Happy Portraits

Faces are difficult to do and take a great deal of practice, I have found.  We are face-oriented and so many messages are given at ‘face’ value, indeed.  We can more about someone simply looking at their face, unadorned with make-up, simply bare-faced and given off a language of its own.  We evaluate each other through facial expressions.  And, several times, I have been asked why my portraits all look sad, and didn’t I ever do happy faces?  True artists know that whatever expression our Muse chooses is the one we end up with.

Ability to read faces has always been part of the human experience.  In fact, it could determine successes or failures; life or death.  We react both internally and outwardly to looks on faces.  Gestural language is huge, and facial language is imperative.  Socially, we must be able to read facial language in order to fit into societal norms. 

Facial language of our portraits, whether life-like or whimsical, or any other genre we choose to make marks, is broad and, it seems, Universal.  Facial language speaks a great deal of emotional language.  Even the slightest lift of a brow or quirk of lips can be read.  We, who look at portraiture, know those little tricks and learn better how to use them in our daily practice, or, artistic practice. 

To be authentic, as artists, we cannot be pleasers.  We have to follow the lead of our Muse and paint what it sees and wishes.  If many of mine look sad, perhaps it was, of course, meant by me, but moreso, meant by the Muse that moves my hand.

What is the prevailing emotion your portraits show?  Do you live in a fantasy world or do you live in an authentic world?  I find the subject fascinating and I continue to move more into showing emotion through portraiture.  

©Carol Desjarlais 5.13.20