Pareidolia- The phenomenon of seeing faces in inanimate objects. Ex- A distinct facial expression in tree bark, Elvis on toasted bread, or side profiles in the clouds.

We see patterns in random things all the time, faces are something that we can all relate to and happen to see quite often.

Artist even have the power to take portraits, not give us all of the details of it, and let our brain discover the rest. The true beauty of abstract art is that it is up to personal interpretation of the viewer. This way, the meaning of their painted expression, personality, and impact is guided by us.

Traditional portrait paintings usually demand a statement saying “THIS is who I am, what I’m about, and how you should look at me.”

Instead, free yourself in the expressive strokes of the background, which can fade into or onto the portrait itself. Allow yourself to simmer in the colors, marks, and message the paint is telling you. It is easier to do this when gazing at an abstracted portrait, and I will show you how.

Question it: What makes a portrait abstract?

Just to make it clear, I am not talking about a painting that you can’t even tell is supposed to be a face. Rather, I mean a portrait which has clear definite signs and details that make it a face, while distorting the traditional method. Below is a photo of a dichromatic (two colored) painting by Fabian Utta.

To break this abstract portrait down, we first see a center composed image of a head which expressively fades into the background of the contrasting color cerulean blue. It is fascinating how the broad marks seemingly done with a palette knife, contours the features of the head. Our brain automatically fills in the information of the lower half.

The title gives us only a hint as to what is going on. A stern eye directly looking at us has a simplicity yet fervent look- like they’re almost dying to tell us something before they fade away.

I encourage you to attempt moving your eye into all the fine details and shapes of the red paint. This is where a lot of the expression comes out, not just in the focal point of the right corner. With each spreading mark of paint, you can discover a hidden little message, almost like a puzzle.

Get lost in the colors

I recently discovered the art of Tails Jekel, an amazing creative painter who even has a YouTube channel which shows off their uniquely quirky personality. I highly recommend you watch some of their videos, I have gained a wealth of inspiration and knowledge about the oil painting process. Check out their page here.

Sinking has a distinct face and figure, but it also explores breaking the figurative form into a wavy abstract pattern. Here, I get the impression that the person is underwater. My eye focuses in towards the lightest colors in the middle, and then the rest of the hues guide me around the image. Somehow the bouncing vibrations of the colored energy make me stay in the painting and I just don’t want to look away.

Now let’s examine solely the portrait.

Bursting with interesting expression, variation of colors and a distinct focal point, makes this portrait impeccable. Jekel catches our eye to the bottom half of the head using a saturated cadmium orange, and with other tones he stops us in our tracks to the contrasting sheen of the metallic halo around the head. All of these elements to me, seems aggressively powerful in its "holiness”. Religious or not, this painting is a piece that puts the figure on a sublime level.

Name the swirling patterns of color and shape around the portrait what you want- this is the intention I’m sure. The viewer doesn’t need to be confused, because the answer is explained visually. This is the power of your mind when it meets a surface that isn’t totally recognizable.

How to appreciate this type of aesthetic

I believe, having the power to use you’re very own creativity to decipher the meaning of things is what we were meant for. Strict traditionalism feels a bit confining, and in a way can limit our range of feelings we get bounced from the art. This is not to say abstract art is better than realism, but it is certainly on par.

Free yourself of looking at things one way. Perhaps this painting above has mutiple meanings which can be discovered anew, each time you come back to it. After all, all art is abstract and is merely a way of seeing.

I encourage you to continue exploring, learning, and feeling a breadth of things when examining art. It is created for you anyways, it is your world to discover.

Above is the last example of an abstract portrait, which is one I did a couple of months ago. This painting is inspired by the spirit of the shark, and how we all can embody a fierce, solitary, and powerful persona like it. Did you feel this message when you first had seen it?

My goal was for the viewer to take on their own interpretation, question the choice of weird face, color, and composition. This painting is on display and for sale at Rosebud Gallery SF. More details on this is on my home page.

Are you a fan of abstracted portrait art, or more of a traditionalist type of appreciator? No answer is right, I am simply curious!

Thank you for reading and I hope this helped you better understand how to look at and possibly appreciate unconventional portrait painting.