Portraits & Caricatures Portraits & Caricature 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which painting technique involves applying thick, textured paint directly from a palette knife rather than a brush?
- Impasto (Correct answer)
- Glazing
- Scumbling
- Sfumato
Correct answer: Impasto
Impasto is the technique of applying paint thickly so it stands out from the surface, creating visible texture and bold strokes.
Question 2: In caricature, the term 'exaggeration hierarchy' means the artist should prioritize exaggerating which features first?
- The most distinctive and unique features of the subject (Correct answer)
- The eyes and nose equally
- The hair and ears
- The chin and forehead only
Correct answer: The most distinctive and unique features of the subject
Effective caricature focuses exaggeration on the subject's most distinctive features—the traits that make them immediately recognizable.
Question 3: What is the term for the soft blending of edges between light and shadow in portrait painting, famously used by Leonardo da Vinci?
- Sfumato (Correct answer)
- Chiaroscuro
- Pointillism
- Hatching
Correct answer: Sfumato
Sfumato (Italian for 'smoky') is Leonardo's technique of blending tones so subtly that edges dissolve into one another.
Question 4: When drawing a portrait in three-quarter view, which of the following is true about the far eye compared to the near eye?
- It appears narrower and more foreshortened (Correct answer)
- It appears larger and more open
- It is always completely hidden
- It appears at a lower position on the face
Correct answer: It appears narrower and more foreshortened
In three-quarter view, the far eye is foreshortened by perspective, making it appear narrower than the near eye.
Question 5: Which historical caricaturist published biting political caricatures in 18th-century England and is considered a founding father of the art form?
- James Gillray (Correct answer)
- Honoré Daumier
- William Hogarth
- Thomas Rowlandson
Correct answer: James Gillray
James Gillray (1756–1815) is widely regarded as the father of political caricature for his satirical prints targeting British royalty and politicians.
Question 6: In portrait photography, what does the term 'catchlight' refer to?
- The specular highlight reflected in the subject's eyes (Correct answer)
- The main light source used in the studio
- A reflector placed beneath the subject's chin
- The background light that separates subject from backdrop
Correct answer: The specular highlight reflected in the subject's eyes
Catchlights are the small reflections of a light source visible in the subject's eyes, giving them life and depth.
Question 7: What is the standard academic proportional rule for the placement of the eyes on a front-facing human head?
- The eyes sit at the midpoint of the total head height (Correct answer)
- The eyes sit one-third down from the top of the skull
- The eyes sit at the top quarter of the head
- The eyes sit two-thirds down from the crown
Correct answer: The eyes sit at the midpoint of the total head height
When measuring total head height including the skull above the hairline, the eyes fall approximately at the vertical midpoint.
Portraits & Caricatures Portraits & Caricature 2
Which painting technique involves applying thick, textured paint directly from a palette knife rather than a brush?