PABLO PICASSO

The Father of Cubism

OBJECTIVES

➢ identify facial proportions of both a frontal and a profile view. ➢ learn to create a portrait by both observing and measuring. ➢ investigate facial proportions and contour line drawing. ➢ Cubism will be introduced and the role of Picasso in its development. ➢ understand the expression involved in Cubism and the creative procedures involved in creating a piece of Cubist art. ➢ create a multi-media portrait using their newfound knowledge of Picasso.

VOCABULARY

Proportion Portrait Observation Frontal Profile Feature Symmetry Measurement Picasso Cubism Arrangement Negative Space Expression Abstract

MATERIALS

18 x 24" white paper Mirror Portfolio cover Erasers Crayons Masking Tape Pencils Colored Pencils Watercolor Paints Sharpie Markers Tempera Paint Markers Rulers

Introduction

 Born in Malaga, Spain on October 25, 1881, Pablo Picasso is considered by many art historians to be the greatest artist of the 20th century. He invented forms of graphic and sculptural expression that gave new definition to the modern art movement. Picasso in his studio

Early Years

 At around the age of 10 he made his first paintings, and his natural genius became evident immediately. When he was 15 he took the entrance examinations at Barcelona's School of Fine Arts. These exams usually lasted for an entire month. Young Pablo completed them in a single day. Autoportrait (1899-1900), Charcoal on paper, Museum Picasso

Blue Period

 At around 1901, Picasso entered what is known as his "blue period". His blue period lasted until 1904. These works are powerful expressions of human misery, featuring blind figures, beggars, and alcoholics.

1999 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/Bridgeman Art Library, London/New York Rose Period

 1905 and 1906 is known as Picasso's "Rose Period". He began painting subtle pinks, grays, and bright tones. During this time, Picasso lived near the Paris circus, and was fascinated by the clowns, performers and wandering families that offered him a glimpse into a "hidden" aspect of Family of Saltimbanques (1905), Paris, Oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art society.

Proto-Cubism

 Picasso entered a new artistic period in the summer of 1906. During his stay in Gosol, Spain, he was influenced by Greek, Iberian, and African art. This period is considered the beginnings of Cubism, or "Proto-Cubism". Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1999 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS)

Cubism

 The Cubist style distorts the anatomy and physical features into broken planes. All traditional subjects were treated to this Cubist style. Cubism was so named by a critic who felt the works

looked like "little Ebro cubes".

Cubist Sculpture

 Picasso created cubist sculptures as well, demonstrating equal skill in handling three- dimensional form. Constructions were often made from "found objects", wood, metal, paper, and and other Cubist Sculpture, Pablo Picasso non-traditional materials.

Surrealism

 In the early 1920s Picasso began painting tranquil, neoclassical pictures of heavy, sculpturesque figures, inspired in part by mythology. He also began painting unusual, often convulsive pictures of small- headed women.

1930s

 Beginning in 1935 Picasso began making etchings and paintings of Minotaurs, horses, and bullfights. Images of horses disemboweled by bulls foreshadowed the development of "Guernica", considered by many to be the most

important painting of Minotaure et jument morte devant une grotte face une jeune fille au voile (1936), Gouache and India ink on paper, Museum Picasso, Paris the 20th century.

“Guernica”

 In 1937, the world was shocked by the saturation bombing of civilians in Guernica, Spain by the Nazi Luftwaffe. To express his outrage, Picasso painted "Guernica." This enormous painting is over 25 feet long, and was completed in two months.

Guernica (1937), Oil on canvas, Museo del Prado, Madrid Post-War Years

 After the war, Picasso became associated with the painter Francoise Gilot, and had two children with her, Claude and Paloma. Much of his work at this time was inspired by great masters of the

past including Delacroix, Les Menines (1957), Oil on canvas, Museum Picasso Manet, Velazquez and Courbet.

Final Years…

 In 1968, he made 347 engravings in a 7 month period. These pieces explored the circus, the bullfight, the theater, lovemaking, and other familiar themes. In 1971, on his 90th birthday, the Louvre honored him with an impressive exhibition. His lifelong vitality and creative drive allowed him to keep pace with technological change and advances not only in art, but in society as well. He embodied the artistic spirit and presented it to the public with an energy that continues to influence us into the 21st century. Picasso died in his villa Notre-Dame-de-Vie on April 8, 1973.

Picasso: Self-Portrait

Self-portrait (1972), Crayon and colored crayons, Fuji Gallery, Tokyo

Weeping Woman

Portrait of a Young Girl

Portrait of Marie-Thérèse

Portrait De Femme

Portrait of Man in a Hat

Untitled

Woman in a Stripped Hat

Girl Before a Mirror

Nusch Éluard

Marie-Therese Walter

PROCEDURES

1. With a partner, you will begin by tracing your side profile silhouette on the portfolio cover. 2. Next, look at your face in a mirror. Measure your head to help understand proportionately where features reside ... eyes halfway down, ears parallel, where the nose ends, etc. 3. After you feel comfortable with drawing your facial features, you will add these features to your side profile, using Picasso as your inspiration to arrange (or rearrange) your features.

PATTERNS AND TEXTURES

 To create variety and interest in your work, NEGATIVE space should be filled with either color/textures or pattern arrangements. A good guideline is at least TWO different patterns and TWO different colors/textures.

FINAL DRAWING...

 Once a satisfactory arrangement is decided upon, you will use large heavy paper to draw out your newly Picasso style portrait. Using a black permanent Sharpie marker, you will outline all areas and add more patterns (if desired).

COLOR AND MATERIALS

 Choices are up to you in how to add color. Color relationships should be stressed (i.e. opposites attract, cool colors only, secondary colors, etc.). The use of at least three materials is desirable – markers, colored pencils, crayons, watercolors.

FINISHED EXAMPLE

Picasso once said…

"When you start with a portrait and try to find pure form by abstracting more and more, you will end up with an egg."