For my A-Level Fine Art, I embarked on a personal investigation into the theme of light in portraiture.I have always been fascinated by how light can transform a subject, set a mood, and reveal hidden layers of meaning.Throughout this project, I explored how light interacts with the human face and figure, drawing inspiration from both classical and contemporary artists.My journey took me from the symbolic use of light in religious art to experimental, imaginative approaches in modern portraiture, always seeking to understand how light shapes not just what we see, but what we feel.
My research began with the works of Georges de La Tour, particularly his painting "Magdalene and The Smoking Flame." I was captivated by how La Tour used a single candle to create a halo of light, focusing the viewer’s attention and evoking a sense of meditation and transcendence. The interplay of light and shadow in his work inspired me to create my own photographic and painted responses, using myself as the subject and experimenting with candlelight to achieve a similar mood of self-reflection and intimacy. I also studied Guido Reni’s "The Archangel Michael Casting Down Satan", analysing how light is used to distinguish good from evil, and how illumination can symbolize spiritual enlightenment. My response involved creating self-portraits that echoed these themes, using direct lighting and digital editing to emphasize the triumph of light over darkness. Moving beyond religious symbolism, I explored the fantasy and science fiction illustrations of Virgil Finlay. His intricate pen and ink drawings, with their dramatic contrasts and surreal themes, encouraged me to experiment digitally and push the boundaries of how light can be used to create atmosphere and narrative in portraiture.
In the art of portrait painting, the role of light is like the director of a play – it shapes the story and sets the mood. The way light falls on a subject can transform features, create a certain atmosphere, and give the painting depth. As we know, there is no art without light. In oil.
The painting show Mary Magdalene, a courtesan in the Bible who was converted by Jesus to become one of his most ardent followers. Despite receiving little attention in the Gospels, she has long been recognised as the anonymous woman who anointed Christ's feet at the feast at Simon the Pharisee's home. She was present when Christ was crucified and was the first person to see him following his resurrection. Mary's relatability contributed to her recognition as well.
The photoshoot was done by myself in my room. I have waited for the sun to set in order to have the candle as the main source of light. This was a challenge because the iPhone camera does not work very well with low light, at least not as well for the quality of the picture I needed. It has used a long exposure, therefore making it very grainy and fuzzy. An adaptation I did to partially resolve this problem was turning on the flash but lower the overall exposure. This way, the candle seems the only light source in this image, when truthfully the flash plays a big part in making it more clear and visible. In this photo, I aimed to capture a calm and contemplative mood, with the flickering candlelight adding a sense of warmth and motion, like the smoke from the flame does to ‘The Magdalene and the Smoking Flame’. Linking to my theme of mood in portraiture created by light, the soft illumination of the candle is used to craft an intimate connection between the subject and the viewer. The play of light on my subject’s features is not only aesthetically pleasing but also serves as a narrative device, conveying a sense of introspection and contemplation. The absence of harsh shadows adds to the serene mood, inviting the observer to engage with the subject on a deeper emotional level. I made adjustments to the image in Photoshop. I increased the opacity and changed the overall shade to a warmer orange-red, effectively simulating the illumination of the room by the candle. Additionally, I heightened the exposure to enhance the contrast between the shades and the play of light and shadow. Painted in oil.
To carry on the significance of light in religious portraiture, I have decided to respond to Giovanni Folo’s engraving of Guido Reni’s painting of The Archangel Michael Casting down Satan, with pen as a medium.Though less evident, the emblem of light is present in this painting nonetheless. Just from the background, we can perceive a struggle for dominance between the good and evil by having the light of the sun illuminating faintly through the darkness of the clouds. By looking at the illumination of the body, we can establish who the protagonist and antagonist is. The Archangel Michael having his face illuminated by light or ‘goodness’ links with the religious aspect of ‘sight’, similar to that of ‘The Magdalene and the Smoking Flame’. The light represents clear vision and aids with taking the right paths in life, hence Satan’s face being in darkness represents his loss of his spiritual enlightenment, resulting in him being surrounded by darkness.
The religious symbolic light in the ‘Magdalene and the Smoking Flame’ is presented differently to ‘The Archangel Michael casting down Satan’. The mood of ‘The Archangel Casting Down Satan’ is one of awe, reverence, and solemnity, while the one of the ‘ Magdalene and the smoking flame’ is that of peace and self reflection, showing the importance of the presence of light in these pieces to create the wanted meaning.
In the course of my photoshoot, I aimed to create a visual storytelling journey by capturing self-portraits to narrate the triumphant tale of an angel defeating the forces of evil. The editing process involved carefully merging these opposing positions into a single, cohesive image, amplifying the realism and emotional impact of the perpetual conflict between good and evil.To enrich the narrative further, I found inspiration from Pinterest, integrating carefully selected images of daggers to instil a sense of decisive action. Additionally, I incorporated visuals depicting wings and hair in motion to infuse dynamic energy into the composition.This detailed curation of external elements not only added layers of depth and symbolism but also contributed to the overall complexity of the visual story.
Through experimentation with various poses, angles, and supplementary visuals, I was able to definitively andconfidently choose a pose radiating the power of the angel through an upright stance, looking down onto the antagonist, which is in a defensive position as well as seemingly losing ground on the paper, off the page. The objective was to elicit a contemplative response from viewers, encouraging them to delve into the intricate nuances of the perpetual battle unfolding between the forces of light and darkness. Just like engravings, etchings create permanent impressionson the printing plate, which is then transferred onto paper. This permanence aligns with the enduring nature of historical religious narratives, emphasising the timeless themes depicted in artworks such as "The Archangel Michael casting down Satan."
Throughout my investigation, I worked in a variety of media—photography, painting, digital art, and mixed media collage. I staged photoshoots in low light, using candles and controlled artificial sources to sculpt the face and create dramatic effects. I experimented with long exposures, flash, and digital editing to manipulate the quality and direction of light. In painting, I focused on brushwork and colour temperature to evoke warmth, depth, and emotion.One of my favourite experiments involved recreating the mood of La Tour’s Magdalene using a candle as the main light source. I carefully composed the scene, adjusted camera settings, and edited the final image to enhance the illusion of candlelight illuminating the entire room. Props like a skull and a book added layers of symbolism, referencing themes of mortality and reflection.In another project, I responded to Finlay’s surrealism by creating a digital portrait of a floating figure, surrounded by mist and illuminated by an oversized keyhole. This piece played with the idea of exposure—both to light and to the gaze of the viewer—blending religious and sci-fi motifs.
A significant part of my A-Level Fine Art journey involved experimenting with digital media to explore the theme of light in portraiture. Working digitally allowed me to push creative boundaries, manipulate imagery with precision, and visualize concepts that would be difficult to achieve with traditional media alone.One of my most ambitious digital projects was inspired by the surreal, atmospheric works of Virgil Finlay. Using digital tools, I created a portrait of a floating figure suspended in a dreamlike space, surrounded by swirling mist and illuminated by an oversized keyhole. This digital approach enabled me to experiment with gradients, transparency, and layering, giving the composition a sense of movement and otherworldliness. I played with the scale of elements—such as an exaggerated keyhole and a single, watchful eye—to evoke feelings of exposure and vulnerability, blending motifs from both religious and science fiction art.Digital editing also became an essential part of my process in photography. After staging photoshoots with dramatic lighting, I used software to enhance the warmth and intensity of candlelight, adjust colour balance, and refine the interplay of highlights and shadows. This allowed me to simulate the effect of a candle illuminating an entire room, or to create the illusion of light sources that didn’t exist in the original scene.Collage was another digital technique I embraced. By combining photographic portraits with abstract backgrounds and found imagery, I was able to create complex, layered compositions that balanced realism with imagination. These collages drew inspiration from artists like Julia Andrews, Carlos Cruz, and Beth Hoeckel, and allowed me to explore how digital manipulation can add depth, symbolism, and narrative to portraiture.Through these digital experiments, I discovered new ways to use light as both a visual and conceptual tool. The flexibility of digital media enabled me to iterate quickly, test bold ideas, and ultimately create artworks that are both technically innovative and emotionally resonant.
My final piece for this investigation is a large-scale portrait that brings together everything I learned about light in art. Drawing inspiration from artists like Francesco Amorosino, Julia Andrews, Carlos Cruz, and Beth Hoeckel, I combined dramatic lighting, collage backgrounds, and intense eye contact to create a sense of exposure and truth. The eyes in the portrait confront the viewer, evoking the feeling of being seen and the vulnerability that comes with it. The collage elements add abstraction and complexity, balancing realism with imagination. Throughout this journey, I discovered that light is not just a technical element—it is a powerful tool for storytelling, symbolism, and emotional connection. Whether in the soft glow of a candle, the harsh contrast of a spotlight, or the surreal radiance of digital effects, light has the ability to transform portraiture and invite viewers into a deeper, more contemplative experience. Painted in Oil.
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