Choosing your sitter

When considering your entry for RCB Portrait Prize 2021, there will be lots of decisions but none more important than your choice of sitter. 

You will already know which medium you like to paint in: oil, acrylic, watercolour, collage, mixed media and so on. The issue of how large your painting will be is governed by the conditions of entry (no larger the 2.25 square meter of any dimension). 

Portraits are one of the world’s art-loving public’s favourite subjects. But if you want to win the hearts and minds of the jury and the viewers who visit the exhibition, here are a few things you might want to consider. 

1. Choose a person you admire. They don’t need to be a celebrity or of high profile in their field. More important is that they have had a meaningful influence on you in some way, large or small. They may have been a teacher who helped steer your learning towards your career. It might be a woman in your community who has a talent for caring for everyone. It may be a doctor or a humanitarian worker who protects people at risk. The monk at your local temple who has always been a good listener and advice giver. Your grandparents who spent hours and hours with you while your parents were at work. Your big sister who has been your guardian Angel. 

2. When they sit for you, choose a setting that adds to their story. If a teacher, see if they will sit for you in their empty classroom. If your best friend loves tinkering with machines, paint them in the garage. This will add to their story and help the viewer understand them better. 

3. Have them look directly at you when you paint them. It’s said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Viewers will engage with your painting if your sitter is looking directly at them. 

4. Also remember that there is no right or wrong style or technique. A portrait can be anything from fine art realism to Impressionism and anything in between. The style of your painting will speak to the sitters personality and mood. Are they a serious or gregarious person? 

5. When submitting your portrait, tell us why you wanted to paint your sitter in 100-300 words. 

6. Finally, remember what you’re doing is a wonderful thing. Celebrating the life of someone who has inspired you in some way. Giving them the 5 minutes of fame that they deserve. 

If you are still not sure how to approach the task, check out @portraitprize on Instagram. Look at the paintings and read the stories.