Cubism Art was first started in 1907 by Pablo Piccasso and George Brague, with the concept of painting 1 object at multiple angles at the same time. Picasso was one of the artistic geniuses of his era who came up with this concept to break the norms of realism art. Cubism was one of the art styles that sought to break the rules and break up the picture plane. This week, we dive into the world of Cubism Art made easy with Singapore Artist Celine Chia.
Table of Contents:
Cubism Art Techniques (Steps)
Here is the step by step guide to creating easy cubism art.
First and foremost, decide on the face shape of the subject matter. Let your ideas and creativity flow and create any face shape you want (eg. square, bean, heart, triangle, oval etc.) ! From the wackiest to the most absurd, feel free to let your imagination take flight. In this case we use a random sponge shape.
Next, we divide the face into two parts by drawing a wriggly line in the middle. It need not be equally divided, in fact, just make it in whatever freeform shape you desire.
Here, we use a variety of shapes and patterns to derive a whacky combination of facial features. For the left side of the subject, we draw an oval shaped eye with circular-patterned iris while drawing a semi-arch brow with circles for the eyebrow.
On the right side of the subject, we draw a triangle-shaped eye with a bamboozling iris, followed by an angular brow with a zig-zag pattern.
Next, we add in the other facial features. For the nostrils, we use two ovals for the subject’s nose. As for the moustache, we give the subject a wavy moustache for the left, and a jagged shaped one for the right side.
In cubism portrait, it is about expressing the subject through different perspectives from different angles (from multiple points of view). In this case, we can see that the face on the left seems to be showing its front view, and the face on the right seems to be a side profile.
After you’re done with the moustache, we follow up with the mouth. For the left we give the subject a slightly thinner lips while providing the subject with slightly thicker lips on the right, accompanied by a thin curve which presumably represents the dimple.
For the subject’s ears, we give him two oval shaped piercings, followed by a line that represents a dangling earring. For the right side, we give him a piercing on the right earlobe.
As for the subject’s hair, for the left side, we give him strands of wavy hair. For the right we give him a top hat instead.
Last but not least, we add in the backdrop and attire for the subject. On the left side, we add in rain-drop shaped lines for the backdrop, whereas for the right side, we add in horizontal lines for the backdrop. Do feel free to segment the backgrounds according to your preference.
Regarding his attire, we add in drapes for the left side, and accompany it with lace-patterns on the right side. Note that this artwork is based on the imagination of the artist. Feel free to add your own unique style and designs for your features/background.
After you’re done with the sketch, let’s add in the colours! Here’s the time lapse for Cubism Art made easy by Artist Celine Chia.
Cubism Portrait Ideas
There can be many expressions and underlying feelings portrayed through Cubism Portrait. You can tell many stories and interpretations through these works of art. There can be a multitude of ideas being showcased through the different aspects, depending on the angle the artwork is viewed from. Here are some works of art from Artist Celine Chia and her students:
Let’s take our artist’s work for example. On the right, we use warmer colours and tones to portray more positive and vibrant vibes. The colours used are red, yellow, orange and pink. For the left, we use cooler colours like green and blue to give off a contrasting and slightly duller vibes.
For the background on the right, we use hearts and wavy lines to show off its innate and intricate nature, of things more beautiful and appreciated. Whereas on the other hand, we use tear drops and waves to express the hidden side of ourselves that we hide from others.
This whole piece of work depicts that we usually have two sides to everything. What we portray to the outside may not necessarily be what we feel on the inside. We usually have a myriad of emotions that we hide and only show others what they want to see.
This piece of work is surprisingly cumbersome in an abstract manner. It depicts the ‘fake front’ that we showcase to others. This is just like putting on a mask to hide our hidden agendas hidden deep inside ourselves. Hence the term ‘Jester’ – someone who puts on a fake smile and makeup to make others laugh for their entertainment. What he may be feeling on the inside could be hollow and nothing but sorrow.
On the right side, we use brighter colours and shades like purple, yellow, pink, orange and red for a more pastel and happier vibe.
On the left, we use shades of green, yellow, blue and brown to achieve a calm, cool and collective vibe.
Despite the harmonious effects achieved in this cubism portrait, in actual fact, both sides could be nothing but a facade for what we have truly hidden underneath inside ourselves.
This piece of work was inspired by the sun and moon sculpture that are often used for logos and design. The sun and moon are contrasting forces in nature, each representing two sides that will never meet. (Day vs Night)
This juxtaposition in art showcases the contrasting elements perfectly, both in nature and in the choice of colours used. On the left, we use cooler colours through the blending of blue to differentiate the transition of cool colours. On the other hand, we use brighter colours like yellow, orange and red to provide the elements of heat, radiance and vibrance that gives the sun its unique vibe.
This disassociation in elements represents human nature harmoniously, with the analogy for this contrast signifying that we can be happy and sad at the same time. As humans, we are the embodiment of these powerful feelings. We can be happy and vibrant at times, and yet feel these pangs of overwhelming grief that hit us like a storm when we least expect it.
This piece of cubism art paints a story of the feelings she’s experiencing at that point of time. It’s a portrayal of overwhelming joy and happiness as depicted through the subject and the background colours.
For the background, we noticed that she splits it into 5 segments, each depicting items that make her happy. In an anti-clockwise manner, we notice pink hearts, followed by trees in a sea of green, brownish hearts and emoticons, waves of blue diamonds and last but not least, a mesh of purple and ice cream.
These items represent the overwhelming joys that she’s truly experiencing deep within her heart. This is considering the fact that she emphasises it multiple times through the hidden analogies.
As for the subject itself, we notice the harmonious blend of colours for both sides, with lighter shades of colours used – gold, yellow, red, pink and orange. These colours used in conjunction with one another adds further depth and texture to the beautiful and cheerful art piece.
Final Words
Cubism Art can be easy or as complicated as you want it to be, and it’s definitely beginner friendly. If you like our works, stay tuned to our socials for more similar content or sign up for our art classes and art workshops today!
