Celebrate figurative art with unique human stories

 

The Art of Being Human: How International Portrait Competitions Celebrate Figurative Art

Faces are the indexes of human emotions. Our appearances cannot hide subtle expressions, like feelings of disgust or exuberance of joy. They get reflected anyway. When a portrait artist captures those untold stories on canvas, he/she seeks more than resemblance, as they’re more interested in showing what lies beneath the surface. Thus, portrait art transforms human experiences into engaging works of art, passed on through generations. This is one of the oldest forms of artistic expression, other than landscape and scenery paintings, that shows the evolving trends. While discussing portraits, we cannot leave out figurative art, an intricately related artistic genre.

Figurative works include faces and figures from an artist’s perspective and how they see the world of figures around them. Many international portrait competitions and juried exhibitions invite works of figurative and portrait artists to share their visions on a global stage, experiment with techniques, connect with a broader milieu of art lovers, and win exciting rewards and opportunities.

Let’s start with what makes the art of being human and learn how a person’s physicality is shaped by circumstances, experiences, memory, and beyond.

Celebrate figurative art with unique human stories

Beyond Likeness: Learn the Language of Portrait Art

Portraiture has a history that dates back to ancient Roman and Egyptian civilization, where portraits of the deceased would accompany them to their tombs. Then there were portraits commissioned by royal persons, kings, and queens, which gave way to royal family portraits.  Still, the art of portraiture was associated with elitism and sophistication. The famous portrait paintings of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Vermeer’s maids reveal a touch of class and aristocracy.

Not only faces, artists had also experimented with human forms and figures centuries ago, expressing their emotions and reflecting the societies around them.

Beyond physical likeness, human faces and figures can intrigue a world of viewers with their enigmatic gazes, half smiles, and melancholic and enduring expressions. Renaissance and Baroque artists worked with the art of chiaroscuro – typical contrasts of light and shade – to depict the intensity of emotions.

Portrait artists of this modern era now approach the art of being human through portraits and figurative painting. Some artists still prefer to depict resemblances and realistic depictions, while others seek abstraction and surreal ways to create masterpieces.

They prefer unusual color palettes, bold brushstrokes, and unique compositions to tell stories like never told before. Thus, figurative artworks reveal not only a person’s physical appearance but also their presence, experiences, and reflections of the world they belong to.

The Many Faces of Figurative Art

Versatility is one of the most significant aspects of figurative art, where artists utilize diverse visual art forms like painting, mixed media, photography, illustrations, digital art, sculpture, or installation art to build a presence.

Sometimes, an intricate pencil sketch can reveal facial and bodily proportions through lines and contours, contrasting shades, and depth deeper than a colorful creation. Acrylic works can reveal the vibrancy of the human form, while experimental art can deal with complex cultural aspects, social norms, memory, and bonding.

This diversity makes portrait artworks survive through time, as one of the oldest artistic disciplines. No matter if an artist prefers a conventional approach to royal portraiture or contemporary experimentation, there is much room for exploring what it means to be human.

What Does an International Portrait Competition Offer?

A portrait speaks for itself. The whole creative process is an artist’s sole journey. This is an intimate exercise. But sharing their work with the world can open new doors of opportunities for artists, as an international portrait competition lets artists showcase their talent before a global audience. This is the best opportunity to seize the spotlight and stand out from other participating artists in the competition who represent different cultural identities. Here, artists from around the world join and share their creations.

Browse online portrait drawing contests, or the best portrait drawing art contests, where artists can experiment with new media and new perspectives and tell their stories in a new way.

Portrait drawings inspire artists to understand the human figure with its anatomical structures, shading, and compositions. So, the next time you think of joining a portrait art contest by reputed online galleries like TERAVARNA, you’ll get to explore a wide range of artistic possibilities from stark realism to newfound figurative compositions.

This way, new and emerging artists can gain exposure and confidence and boost visibility for their works among international viewers, whereas seasoned artists can think of exploring new artistic perspectives to challenge conventions on a global stage.

How Can You Make a Strong Portrait Competition Entry?

Good portraits don’t follow thumb rules. It depends on the artist how they like to communicate the deepest emotions through portraits and figurative paintings. All that matters is the visual impact it creates on viewers.

While sending entries to a portrait art competition, artists can consider these few points: –

• See whether your portrait reveals a personality, a specific mood, or a feeling. Without emotional touch, no portrait can look authentic.

• Check whether the composition and other elements are creating a visual balance or are distracting.

• Check whether the technique used for this creation helps in expressing the intended mood.

• Whether the artwork reveals something new to show originality in style, composition, and interpretation.

• The most important thing to consider is the engagement with viewers through unique storytelling that helps them discover portraits and figurative art beyond likeness.

• Also, check for the submission requirements and eligibility criteria before entering any juried portrait contest.

Sharing the Art of Being Human on a Global Platform

Art as a medium of communication helps a portrait artist or anyone practicing figurative art connect with a wider audience across cultures, languages, and geographical barriers.

Portraits created by a South Asian artist can appeal to an art lover based in New York because art surpasses all linguistic barriers and expresses emotions that are felt in any human situation.

That is how an international portrait competition helps artists find their voice through different interpretations, explore a spectrum of human emotions, and find contemporary ways to approach human faces and figures.

Having said that, portraiture is a complex and intimate study, more than one can see on the surface. It involves deep observation and the power of interpretation to understand what makes a portrait or figurative work human – to study the minute details and the extra brushwork.  

What matters is how compelling a story one can tell through portrait and figurative artwork – a story that invites viewers to uncover a treasure trove of human emotions and experiences.