Go on the internet and find some portraits that convey a distinctive mood or atmosphere rather than simply a physical likeness. Look at Picasso’s blue paintings with their mood of surreal sadness or the dark earth colours of van Gogh’s early paintings of peasants seated around a fire in their poor, meager surroundings. Look at the strong tonal contrast in Rembrandt’s portraits and the formidably restricted palette with which he seemed to convey the very essence of a person’s mood and personality. By contrast, consider the gaiety or the disturbing, nightmarish quality of the portraits and figure paintings of the Fauve painters and the German Expressionists.
Here I wanted to gather some images those included in the brief, plus others from artists I have found over my studies. Bring these images together as see all the different moods I depict. I would like to note how the artist has achieved the mood.
Head of a woman #9 – Vincent Van Gogh 
Head of a woman – Georges Braque 
Maternity – Pablo Picasso 
Woman with folded arms – Pablo Picasso 
Self Portrait – Pablo Picasso 
Reflection (Self-portrait) – Lucian Freud
Head of a woman #9 by Vincent Van Gogh – I feel that this image is showing a sort of innocence but also a hard worker. I feel the softer shadows in this painting give the innocence feel. The colours are blues, white, black and skin tone which does not necessarily show a certain mood but allows the viewer to see the subject and feel with her. You look at her gaze, the shadows and the face. The model is showing no immediate emotion.
Head of a woman (Tête de Femme) by Georges Braque – This painting is in the Cubist style, which is typical of Braque. I feel that this style of painting allows a person to truly explore an image with their eyes. This painting has strong browns and blues – Brown alone can symbolise nature, resilience, strength due to the association with the earth, This pairing with this light blue tone although sadness is a strong blue, so is peacefulness, freshness and calm. This image to me allows you to see the woman, I feel with a sense of this calm, serenity feeling. She could be a strong woman with a little sensitivity and mystery
Maternity by Pablo Picasso – This painting has very soft edges, pastel colours, lighter tones. The mother is looking down at her baby while it is feeding upon her breast, which is a very intimate moment for them both. As the viewer, you can feel this intimacy, the softness of the line and the colours along with the image gives off a warmth, looking further into the painting only intensifies this as titled maternal feeling. You can see the babies hand resting on the mum, while draped in her robe held closely with both hands.
Woman with folded arms – Pablo Picasso – At first look, you see blue. A sad, striking, cold blue tone that poised a lot of paintings from Picasso. His blue period paintings were created from 1901 to 1904 and they mark a time of deep depression in Pablo Picasso. This is one of many paintings created in this somber tone. With a monochromatic palette this image feels sad, cold and it’s pretty dreary to view. The woman looks to be sitting in a corner, with her arms folded and gaze looking away so almost look to be sitting impatiently.
Self Portrait by Pablo Picasso – Another blue period painting but this one is a self portrait. This cold blue is again dominating the image, the only light in this painting is from picasso’s face staring deep into the viewers eye. I feel this one makes us feel the artists bitterness purley through eye contact with the viewer.
Reflection (Self-portrait) – Lucian Freud – This immediately feels like a very intimate and honest painting. The colours used are very natural and his brushwork has focused on all the lines and creases his face makes. I feel Freud wanted us to see his face, his identity. This image to me says ‘Just look at me.’ How beautifully thought provoking.
German Expressionists
German art movement that emphasized the artist’s inner feelings and was characterized by vivid, non-natural colours, line and simplified shape. I found their era was also rich in woodcuts, a print medium created in this era. This has allowed me to see how line and colour work together to convey a much sharper defined mood/atmosphere.
Portrait of Kandinsky – Gabriele Münter 
Self-Portrait With Model – Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
Portrait of Kandinsky by Gabriele Münter – This linocut print is an exploration naturalism and abstraction. I feel the details in the line for the face are realistic, the beard, eyes, ears, lips and pipe can be clearly seen. The background of loose shape and colour feel natural in their abstract form,the colouring almost suggests fields and a sky. This feels like an honest image.
Self-Portrait With Model by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner – Bright bold colours, shadow showing the light is directly on the subjects. This is self portrait of Kirchner with a model in the background sitting upon what I assume is a bed. Kirchner appears to be naked underneath his coat or extravagant robe, he has a pipe in his mouth while holding the palette and brush. I feel he is expressing his sexuality with this painting. The model in the background in what could be perceived as undergarments, has softer facial features than Kirchner, which suggests he is the focal point. The colouring of this image is mainly blues and oranges with pink, I feel this is quite an energetic combination and with the semi nudity it creates a strong sexual vibe, almost like a celebration of sex but still modest enough to be expressed without any form of animosity.
We know that colour is a great descriptive aspect for a painting below are an evaluation of colours and the mood they could convey. Mixes of colours, tone, shadows and highlight can really dictate the mood.
| Greens | Yellows | Reds |
|---|---|---|
| Nature, cool, money, richness, freshness, growth, sickness, jealousy | Happiness, warmth, cheery, laughter, lighthearted | Happiness, enthusiasm, energy, warmth, fire, danger |
| Blues | Purples |
|---|---|
| Sadness, loneliness, cold, calm, serenity, freshness | Royalty, expensive, wealth, power, luxury, nobility, kawaii |
| Lighter colours | Darker colours |
|---|---|
| Purity, innocence, cleanliness, space, neutrality, goodness, coolness, high tech, | Evil, darkness, fear, death, intelligence, strength, elegance, mystery, dark mood, grunge, shadows |
| Pastel colours | Vibrant colours |
|---|---|
| Cuteness, relaxed, therapeutic, maternal | Richness, bold, harsher, shadows, sexual, freedom |
Using colours, symbolism, shape as artists is a way to explore the way we look at a view, a person or people and create a feeling, a statement, a piece of art. The meaning behind art is shaped by an artist but also is relative to how the viewer experiences the painting. It is unique to every individual.
https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/lucian-freud-self-portraits#image-gallery
https://www.vincentvangogh.org/nuenen.jsp#prettyPhoto
https://www.wikiart.org/en/ernst-ludwig-kirchner/woman-in-a-green-blouse
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/
https://www.wikiart.org/en/wassily-kandinsky
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/munter-gabriele/artworks/
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