The Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn created nearly one hundred self portraits during his 63 years of life. Roughly 40 of these self portraits were oil paintings. The rest were drawings and etchings. This was, and is, a fairly unusual number of self portraits for an artist without a smartphone. He might have made self portraits to practice rendering facial expressions, while he also carried out his own self expressions and examinations. He might have made self portraits because they were free, whereas models cost money. He could have also been making them as a kind of self promotion. A self portrait would allow him to advertise his skill, mark himself as memorable, and possibly even earn some cash for the sale.
Below you’ll see a couple of ink drawings and then a couple of related etchings, roughly mirror image from the ink sketches, as the plate he drew the final image onto would have then printed in reverse.
He couldn’t draw or paint. He didn’t consider himself an artist, instead he called himself a “maker” or “designer.” Living in New York City in the depression, Cornell became a collector of small objects and photographs, things he found on his walks through the city. One day in 1931, Cornell visited Julian Levy as he …
[image_with_animation image_url=”9160″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Siobhán Wilder, Indian Alley, oil on panel, 10×8″ League painter Siobhán Wilder was chosen for an online critique through Clara Lieu’s Art Prof site, which now offers critiques for artists. Clara Lieu is an adjunct professor at RISD and the critique was given by Lieu’s associate Lauryn Welch, painter and performance …
Alice Neel: “My analyst said to me, ‘Why is it so important to be honest in art?’ I said, ‘It’s not so important, it’s just a privilege.’” – Quote provided by Suzanne Walker, BA, MA, PhD, BFD …From the upcoming lecture on Portraiture After Photography – part of our ongoing WTF Art History Lecture series with Suzanne Walker …
This is day 11 of our 30 day creative challenge! To learn more about this 30SAL challenge, click here. Today we have another “See and Respond” challenge. Take this example of a Mayan throne back piece for a king and queen and redesign it, inserting your own figures in relationship. Share your drawing on Instagram with …
Rembrandt’s Self Portrait Drawings
The Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn created nearly one hundred self portraits during his 63 years of life. Roughly 40 of these self portraits were oil paintings. The rest were drawings and etchings. This was, and is, a fairly unusual number of self portraits for an artist without a smartphone. He might have made self portraits to practice rendering facial expressions, while he also carried out his own self expressions and examinations. He might have made self portraits because they were free, whereas models cost money. He could have also been making them as a kind of self promotion. A self portrait would allow him to advertise his skill, mark himself as memorable, and possibly even earn some cash for the sale.
Below you’ll see a couple of ink drawings and then a couple of related etchings, roughly mirror image from the ink sketches, as the plate he drew the final image onto would have then printed in reverse.
Sketch vs Etching
Sketches – just a few
Etchings
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Joseph Cornell
He couldn’t draw or paint. He didn’t consider himself an artist, instead he called himself a “maker” or “designer.” Living in New York City in the depression, Cornell became a collector of small objects and photographs, things he found on his walks through the city. One day in 1931, Cornell visited Julian Levy as he …
Siobhán Wilder’s Critique
[image_with_animation image_url=”9160″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Siobhán Wilder, Indian Alley, oil on panel, 10×8″ League painter Siobhán Wilder was chosen for an online critique through Clara Lieu’s Art Prof site, which now offers critiques for artists. Clara Lieu is an adjunct professor at RISD and the critique was given by Lieu’s associate Lauryn Welch, painter and performance …
WTF? Alice Neel on honesty in art
Alice Neel: “My analyst said to me, ‘Why is it so important to be honest in art?’ I said, ‘It’s not so important, it’s just a privilege.’” – Quote provided by Suzanne Walker, BA, MA, PhD, BFD …From the upcoming lecture on Portraiture After Photography – part of our ongoing WTF Art History Lecture series with Suzanne Walker …
Day 11: Mayan Throne #30SAL
This is day 11 of our 30 day creative challenge! To learn more about this 30SAL challenge, click here. Today we have another “See and Respond” challenge. Take this example of a Mayan throne back piece for a king and queen and redesign it, inserting your own figures in relationship. Share your drawing on Instagram with …