JFK: 3 Presidential Portraits

Finished up yet another illustration project for today. The project called for an experimentation in media. Our compositions and subject matter had to be the same but the way in which each composition was executed had to be dramatically different in style, medium, and overall treatment. I chose to continue on in my presidential portrait journey and push the profile portrait of John F. Kennedy. I used this picture mainly for reference, as well as a lot of others. Go to my board on Pinterest to see all my reference photos: JFK Illustration Pinterest Board

Started out by doing a series of quick portraits of JFK (Left: Charcoal, Middle: Ebony pencil, Right: Ink)

I then transitioned into breading down his profile into simplified, basic shapes that would allow me to experiment with more expressive mediums.

01 Final: Collage
Using water-based oil paints I made a series of different color swatches layering the paint and creating texture with a comb. I then cut exact shapes from these swatches and collaged them together to create the image.  

02 Final: Sewing
Using one of the charcoal drawings from my early composing stages, I used sewing as a medium to create a linear, hard-edged element to juxtapose the organic and looseness of my charcoal drawing. Thread has been built up, making reference to the American flag.

03: Type as Image
Taking a graphic approach, I built JFK out of the words from his 1961 inauguration address.