PORTRAIT TIPS

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PORTRAITS

ACCORDING TO LENGTH

  1. Full Length – depicts full body – head to toe – usually with a significant background
  2. Half Length – displays from the waist up – usually focused on facial expressions
  3. Three Quarter Length – displays from the knees up
  4. Kit Kat – Sub Genre of Half length – Hands are always included – usually a bit less than half of the body displayed
  5. Bust or Head & Shoulders – compact versions of Half Length – resemble bust sculpture
  6. Miniature – Painted on small canvas – same types as above

ACCORDING TO POSE

  1. Profile view – Side view of face and body
  2. Full face view – Looking directly at viewer
  3. Tronie – Focused on the human expression – head tipped back laughing – depict feelings
  4. Three quarter view – Neither full front or total side – turned face midway

ACCORDING TO THE PEOPLE INCLUDED

  1. Individual Portrait – portrays a single person
  2. Double Portrait – two people
  3. Self-Portrait – by the Artist
  4. Group Portrait – multiple people – focused only on the members of the group – no distracting background – generally the group would sit together like a double
Famous Example of Kit Kat style of Portrait Type
Famous Example of Full Length Portrait Type
Famous Example of Group Portrait