Research Point - David, Ingres, Degas, Picasso, Giacometti, Hockney

Jacques Louis David (1748-1825)

Studies after Michaelangelo

David filled his sketchbooks after antique and baroque art but

rejected the rococo tradition. He described contours meticulously.

‘Marie Antoinette on Her Way to the Guillotine’ 16 Oct 1793, pen and ink.

‘Studies after Pietro da Cortona’
black chalk. This is from a fresco
 ‘The Assumption of the Virgin’. 

As an official artist of the French Revolution he sketched victims on their way to the guillotine. This is a very simple looking line sketch, almost a caricature, of Marie Antoinette on her way to the guillotine showing economical and deft use of lines. It encapsulates very well the broken yet dignified expression on her face.

Ingres

Ingres style was Neoclassicism (classical antiquity) and he was the last of the neoclassicist painters – a master of realism.

He was a pupil of David’s.

Ingres lines are very smooth and pure giving his figures a look of flowing elegance. He paid a lot of attention to detail. Infact the stress on line was an important part of his style – delicate but firm.

Portrait of Charles Francois Mallet. Front lighting used here (as in most of Ingres’ drawings) emphasizes the edges. In doing this he followed very much Raphael’s example. In places he has used minimal of broken line to show the saturation of light and bolder on the other side to show the form turned away.

Link to Ingres Miraculous Lines – describes in fascinating detail Ingres career, inspiration and techniques.

Edgar Degas

Woman drying herself after bathing, pastel

Degas was a great admirer of Ingres, whose masterful draughtsmanship was passed on through Degas’ tutor, who was a pupil of Ingres. Yet he also admired the turbulent style of Delacroix. He used a quite linear style in many of his drawings and often reasserted the outlines. The lines of the faces are usually quite controlled, yet the arms or legs for instance, are done in a quick sketchy looking way with numerous restatements. He often used scribbly lines for backgrounds but more controlled parallel hatching strokes for the forms and surface planes of his figures.

One of Degas main concerns was how to convey movement – drawing his subjects from unexpected and unusual angles. This link describes in detail his pre-occupation with movement, particularly in relation to dancers in the ballet.

Pablo Ruiz Picasso

La Sieste (Les Moissoneurs)

La Sieste (Les Moissoneurs), 1919, pencil

Here very fluid curving lines have been used, with little variation in weight, delicately reasserted here and there. This and the soft, voluptuous lines of the contours give form to the two figures.

In contrast Louis Freund’s drawing Pieta, 1960, oil on board,  the lines are wild and frenzied. The contours come and go and singular lines move from one end of the composition to the other in a vigorous exploration.

Louis Freund - Pieta

In Desuudo de espaldas, 1958 (right) Picasso has created a wonderfully expressive drawing with just a few lines.

                                     Alberto Giacometti

Many of Giacometti’s drawings are made up of a mass of often entangled lines, like lengths of wire. This was how he brought about the sitter’s likeness and presence. The turmoil in these  lines appears to give his figures a look of ghostly vulnerability.

David Hockney

Two Dogs – these are two contented looking daschund dogs, delicately rounded and plump. Hockney uses a balance of thin and thicker lines, suggesting just a slight amount of subtle shadow. This seems to anchor them very comfortably in the chair.

Celia Sleeping 1972 – just a minimal amount well placed lines here, which appear to capture the scene perfectly.

In ‘Portrait of Dwight’1979, pen and black ink, Hockney uses multiple short singular and v-shaped directional lines and marks to describe texture in the hair. Loose minimal slightly curving parallel lines describe the ribbing on the sleeve at lower left. There is just an 

Celia sleeping

indication of texture in the closer fibres on the front of the t-shirt
 where the marks are denser and more random.

Don't Plan, Just Respond

completed sketches in charcoal

This is an exercise I tried recently from the book Drawing and Painting People – A Fresh Approach by Emily Ball. When I first browsed through this book a couple of years ago, the attraction wasn’t immediate – I thought the images were a little primitive and childlike, yet at the same time I was intrigued and after reading a few pages my  perception was beginning to change. From the start I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the unconventional approach to drawing and painting the human figure, which for someone who’s approach has tended towards constraint and over-finishing, was very liberating, yet not easy to get used to.

The point of this particular exercise is about just responding to the pose of the model without thinking, so as to help remove fears and encourage spontaneity.  In short, the instructions began by dividing the A2 paper into 16 equal sized portions, or use 16 x A6 pieces of paper. This was to enable drawing a different pose in each section. Next  to try out the model’s pose for yourself before attempting to draw - very important. Begin  by rubbing some charcoal dust into the first section, carefully but quickly following the movement and form. Then draw the pose without looking at the paper or attempting to be tidy. From start to finish, without rushing, each drawing should only take between 30 seconds and a minute. Although I have only tried 3 or 4 of the exercises in the book so far, I’ve found them all so motivating that I intend to return to the book repeatedly in the future. Hopefully if I continue on this path my drawing (and painting) in general will improve the way I want it to. I will have to perservere…

Quick Studies

Another reclining pose in pencil
 on grey paper which I had more success 
with than sketch 1, although it's 
 not very clear on a thumbnail, hands
look more natural than on many 

Some of these sketches were done at home, others at my life drawing group. With most sketches I compared measurements using an outstretched arm and drawing tool.  Generally they improved over the course of the exercise, but the areas I struggled most with were:

Sketch 1 – (not illustrated) sitting/reclining figure with legs outstretched. Because I discovered the left upper leg looked too narrow initially, I restated it three times before I was happy with its proportions. Even then I thought the knee looked too thick but on checking with other areas such as the face the measurements agreed with those on the model. Even though the model was placed sidelong to me there was a noticeable effect of foreshortening on this one.

2. graphite stick

On sketch 2   I used a Derwent graphite stick on sugar paper. I have a couple of other graphite sticks which glide across papers very smoothly but the opposite is the case with this kind. It didn’t seem to behave well and produced a rough gritty sensation on the paper. In places I had to increase the pressure very firmly to define the line more. It isn’t the first time I’ve used this type of graphite, it's just that if the mood takes me I feel ‘drawn’ to the challenge.The negative spaces were very useful for guidance, as long as I  concentrated hard on them.

3. ballpoint pen

Sketch 3 (above right) – black ballpoint pen in sketchbook - 12 minutes.
 Sitting pose. This was timed for 10 minutes but I added on another 2 minutes because I ran out of time and hadn’t completed the whole figure. Gauging the length of the lower legs was the main cause of the hold up. I measured them on the model against the distance between the underarm to where the hip meets the upper leg.

The  drawing below right was done semi-blind - in other words I didn't look at the drawing until I'd completed large amounts of the contours.  I went through a process of drawing from one point to another, then stopping and studying where to go next ie. from the back of the ankle, around the foot to the shin. Then from the shin to the groin area and so on. The combination of using the two pencils taped together for a contour drawing and only very occasional checking , I think has materialised in the figure appearing to flicker, not to mention very liberating. The idea of taping the two pencils together was inspired by a superb book on experimental techniques and the artists who use them - Drawing Projects. Although I deviated from the instructions to a large extent, in some ways I wish I'd had the book before I began the drawing course as  it might have encouraged me to be more adventurous.

 - black pierre noire pencil

Above - two early sketches 

Sketch 4 charcoal on brown paper – 6 mins - not illustrated as has been mislaid, but is similar to the charcoal sketch below right. Crouching pose. Once I’d put in the head and shoulders this sketch progressed well in the time. I felt more confident with the hands, arms and legs and was able to do them quite accurately. Enjoyed the process of drawing the right knee area using rapid angular lines. A pose like this with multiple angles seems easier to do than outstretched limbs, as I can easily see the positive and negative shapes..Also liked the way the charcoal glided over the smooth brown wrapping paper.

charcoal

charcoal

General comments: The toes can be a source of fascination  when they form interesting shapes and angles, but I tend to dwell on them for too long, leaving too little time for other areas.

I find that I’m automatically looking at the shapes and as my figure drawing experience progresses I can generally sense a growing confidence in my ability to judge:

Where things are in relation to one another

Negative shapes

Proportions by sight (sometimes) and see shapes  rather than having to measure constantly.

The location of the line of balance.
Judging the length of legs on a sitting or reclining figure can be a stumbling block. When unsure I divide the figure into portions equal to the length of the head. Even so, the negative shapes are less clear when there are no apparent surrounding positive shapes, and I find the number of divisions is not so clear cut as on a totally outstretched or standing figure. In this case I  use the length of another area on the body as a guide, rather than the head.
Another difficulty is hands -  much more practice needed .
http://annidrisco-draw.blogspot.ie/search/label/quick%20studies

This particular model has 

a voluptuous figure full of 

interesting shapes and curves 

 quick studies
Above left 7 min pose -

weight on right foot causing left hip to tilt downwards

I think the left shoulder  should be tilted up 

slightly more.

Above centre - a selection from a larger series of poses of

mostly less than a minute in duration.   

Part 5 Draw and Experiment - Figure Drawing

With 4 options to choose from it wasn't easy for me to decide what to concentrate on for Part 5. After wasting enough time already, I decided on figure drawing – the reasons being:

Drawing from life is a fundamentally important aspect of drawing, because every aspect of drawing is covered here. Considering I started off so inept in this area, it is the one I feel I've made the most progress with, while simultaneously needing the most practice on.
Figure drawing is, I find, exacting and intensely demanding, in the sense that usually it is quite obvious if anything is out of kilter - so requires great concentration. Having only a limited time to capture gesture forces me to be in the moment and, I think, has helped to speed up my sketching and be more spontaneous and responsive in sketches of other subjects, albeit mostly very quick sketches. 

Added to this, my tutor was of the opinion I‘d made a good deal of progress with figure drawing since the beginning of Part 4, so that was an added encouragement.

Exhibition - Post War American Art: The Novak/O'Doherty Collection

LOCATION: Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork - a contemporary building set in the gardens of the University College.

Post War American Art: The Novak/ O’Doherty Collection

I almost missed this exhibition and it was well worth a visit, so I feel fortunate that I was able to  just catch it before it ended in early July. 

BACKGROUND: Part of the Irish Museum of Modern Art’s National Programme featuring a rich collection of 76 artworks - paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures and prints from the New York art scene of the 1950s and 60s. 

Brian O’Doherty, Irish artist and author and Barbara Novak, American art historian built up the collection, acquired through friendships with American artists of the 1960s and 70s and bequeathed it to the Irish Museum of Modern Art. It is a story originating with O’Doherty’s frustration at the lack of access to new trends in art, for art students and the general public in 1940s and 50s Ireland, triggering his re-location from Dublin to New York.

SPACE  The exhibition was divided between two separate areas of the building. This section contained, amongst others, the first artwork (below). This was displayed in a windowless enclosed space in the centre of the building. The only natural light to enter the room was from the entrance door. The room was illuminated by low background and brighter directional lighting. To me this combination had the effect of setting up an ambience of being present in some inner sanctuary.

Jasper Johns - Hatteras

Jasper Johns Hatteras, 1963 

Lithograph 104 x 75 cm

The Novak/O’Doherty Collection

Loan, The American Ireland Fund, 2008

I focused in on a monochromatic lithographic print by Jasper Johns named Hatteras (1963) . A prominent feature of this is a semi-circular arc taking up  a large part of the left side of the picture. Its white background looks dazzling against its surrounding hazy border. The words red, yellow and blue are stenciled horizontally, on three deep horizontal bands and are partially hidden by the large arc. An imprint of a hand and a forearm – very like an x-ray image, sweep across the arc horizontally from the left side and there is a mark at the top like a long blob containing a shape, suggestive to me of another arm imprint. On the lower right hand side is a dark dense tangle of frenzied random lines, looser around the periphery where it encroaches onto the edge of the arc. Another darker limb like shape appears from the lower side of the arc into the tangle of lines. These marks contrast with the relative bright white plainness and transparency of the central area of the large background – this is where my attention is drawn to most. Johns produced a series of variations on a target theme – the target being the semi circle (also changing in design from one piece to the other) was employed frequently in his work.  


 Wolf Kahn - Sea Blue
SPACE: This strikes me as a bright airy space. It is a long curving l-shaped room with high ceilings and plain white walls.  A combination of recessed striplights and spotlights were focused on the artworks. Large floor length windows divide the display spaces giving pleasant elevated views of the trees and parkland outside. The natural theme of the painting appeared to be well suited to the setting.

wolf kahn Sea Blue, 2000

Pastel on paper 33.7 x 43.8 cm

The Novak/O’Doherty Collection

Loan, The American Ireland Fund, 2010

The first thing to catch my attention about this seascape was how isolated and anonymous it looks and could pass for many different coastal locations.

I find it quite ambiguous, in the sense that I can't make out a natural correlation between the grey overcast sky and the large section of intense blue of the sea; in a real landscape I would expect a blue sky with a bright blue sea such as this, or, with a grey sky, the sea to be much less intense in hue. There’s even what appears to be an atmospheric mist hanging over the distant bay, is it low cloud rolling in or is it reflected light from the sky? 
From the corner of  the lower left side are what could be dark shadows, carried over onto the headland.  To me these effects blend the sea, sky and land effectively, helping to draw my attention to those areas, in particular the area bordering onto the mist (or reflections) over the upper part of the sea.

The close study of this landscape has led me to ascertain that it is less about realism and more to do with an experience of colour and light. On reading a couple of articles about the artist's work, my theory perhaps isn't too unlikely.

Assignment Four

If I was to complete the course, naturally I had again to face up to the inevitable challenge of the assignment pieces. It was looming ahead like some dragon waiting to breathe fire at me when I got too close. The trouble is, very often my approach has tended to let me down at this stage and the ensuing drawings become too stiff and contrived.  …not the easiest thing for me to avoid. 

Luckily I was able to obtain a patient and resident model in the form of my husband Kevin, so I was off to a good start.

As the instructions didn’t mention anything about using coloured media I thought it safer to stay away.


Line and Shape

I began all the sketches and drawings by marking in the top and bottom of the figures, to give an area to stay within. I find it helps the drawing fit the page. Then I established the size and position of the head with a few feint lines and checked the number of times the model’s head length fitted into the space provided. I simultaneously transferred these measurements onto the page, allowing for a little flexibility. I checked  and re-checked the lower leg length a few times as they took up such a large part of the height from the kneecap to the toe, compared to  the upper legs and lower arms, which were foreshortened by the sitting position.

Because I tend to have difficulty at times (as may be evident), getting the shape of the lower legs to look believable in my drawings, I tried out a method I read about in an ebook about drawing tips. To look convincing as a human leg the upper calf on the outside should be fuller than on the inside and is fuller on the inside lower calf than on the outside. I tried to simplify things on the second sketch with the curving inner lines but it wasn’t as easy as it looked. I spent a relatively long time on the first sketch, to determine proportions were adequately correct in my own mind.

On the first two sketches I was pulled into drawing the details of the hands at the expense of the face, but I was more concerned with the hands for some unknown reason. 

To the relief of my model I was gradually speeding up with my sketches and the third one, in charcoal, was finished the quickest. I enjoyed the doing the sketch in charcoal, mainly because the many repeating lines in the first two have been replaced by a mix of more decisive and undulating lines, but not enough. I do think it looks more spontaneous too. The clothing is indicated more and I’m fairly pleased with the extra features I included this time, considering it was a faster sketch. The model is leaning on the arm of the chair, which I think looks interesting, although I couldn’t expect them to hold a pose like that for two hours or more. The willow charcoal glided smoothly across the cartridge paper surface, and is forgiving and expressive. Because of my sense of success with the third sketch I decided to use it for my final drawing.

I initially decided to go with a pose similar to the first two – the model looking to the front. When I stood back and examined it, after drawing in the outlines, I thought  the model’s pose was too symmetrical and boring. So I then asked the model to turn to a side (or profile) view. I decided to use this angle, as  thinking back over previous exercises I hadn’t used it before with the model in an upright position seated on a chair. It was also a way of the model being comfortable in a non-rigid looking pose.

Final drawing:

For this drawing it was a case of trying to apply a 3 dimensional appearance to the figure using only line and shape with no tone, as per instructions. Looking at the finished drawing I think I had

 some success here and there – the crease running across the 

front of the model’s top slopes in a slightly upwards diagonal

Final drawing (charcoal)
in line & shape

 from left to right (sloping away) so giving a look of perspective. Despite putting in a few outlines first in pencil, there are a good few clumsy looking lines in the wrong place or too thick (behind the upper arm and top of the forearm) but I didn’t want to try and change them incase I made them worse. The base of the sleeve looks a little too narrow. I put in thick line around the figure’s outline – especially the nearest side and the outer edges of the legs to give them definition against the chair, the shape of which I thought would be better to outline only faintly in relation to the figure to give it less significance. The chair arm would probably look better like this also.

I’m glad I used willow charcoal as, apart from the attributes I mentioned beforehand, I found I could vary the weight of line easily and it was easily erased when necessary. I couldn't avoid this as some areas just looked so untidy if I left them alone, but tried to keep this to a minimum.

Tone

The model was lit from the right hand side by an angle poise lamp at least 4 feet away, emitting a good wide beam of light from this distance.

The first sketch (in pencil) again took a long time to do. I was struggling to get to grips with this ¾ elongated angle. I was careful to make sure I was more or less happy with proportions before proceeding further. I didn’t want the final drawing to be a disaster for this reason. I was constantly comparing measurements of one area to another and checking angles against the vertical and horizontal. The model was wearing jodhpurs, yet the roundedness of the upper outer left thigh looks over exaggerated on this one. His feet were sock free this time and I was glad to have the chance to do the fascinating details of the toes from underneath.

Sketch two - this was completed with Pitt art pen. I was less concerned with proportions in this one, more with just correcting the line of the legs. What I notice most here is the flatness of the face - it looks rather like a mask.

The third - a 10 minute scribble drawing in Edding 2.0 calligraphy pen. The poor man looks completely sizzled and/or mummified here. However, I wished I’d done at least one scribble drawing at the start, as I think it would have been a faster operation to grasp the right proportions. It probably would have taken me more than one sketch, as the legs are way too long on this one.   

model has not been electrocuted despite appearances!

Number Four - the ¾ view (in ballpoint pen) I hadn’t tried before, and it looked interesting; It was actually more angled towards a front view. I liked the sharper angle of the legs and the angle of the feet – they looked natural, but this time I already had my sights set on using the same angle as previously. The landscape format appealed more to me, partly because it was a change from the mostly portrait format I had used in the past and because the 

angle of the pose looked well balanced and filled the page.

Sketch four

Tone - final drawing:
The first attempt at a final drawing was a disaster. No matter what I tried I could not get the left foot in the correct position. It was drawn in and replaced 2 or 3 times, when -finally I realized the legs were too long.  At this stage the only thing I could do was take a few deep breaths and start again. At least now I knew what not to do and things went smoother from there on.

I decided beforehand to try out some cartridge paper previously gessoed with a homemade mixture of emulsion paint and pva glue. I read in a book that using this paper one could easily obtain very deep dark tonal shading with 2H to 6H hard pencils. It looked impressive in the book and it had worked well on some other paper I'd gessoed prior to the latest batch.  When I tried it out on the paper I had this time the effect wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I figured maybe I used too much pva in the mix this time and/or the wrong type of emulsion – silk when it should have been matt. Anyhow when I tried 2B and B pencils they seemed to work fine, so I continued in this manner. Fortunately the paper did seem to produce a darker effect with less pressure from the pencils than would be the case using untreated cartridge paper. It also seemed easier to smudge with my silicone paint pusher. The media and surface combined certainly gave a sheen to the whole drawing. To use a different texture paper from the norm was also interesting. 

In the final drawing I tried to treat the background as secondary to the figure, giving it a slightly hazy look, so the figure would have more prominence, while at the same time keeping the background and figure related. I'm not sure I managed to pull this off - the figure seems to blend in with the background quite a lot, although my attention is drawn to the face. 

sketch five

Proportion wise, the model’s hand could be slightly too large, but I’d rather it was this way than too small. When I compared the feet with those in the previous line drawing (after my tutor's comment about them) I noticed they don't look as convincing. The slippers look relatively small. I’m not too happy with the nose, it looks clumsily done – so I’m glad it occupies such a  small part of the drawing as whole. The back left of the chair looks a bit too dark, but probably helps the area as a focal point. The light and shadow seem to form an interesting pattern of movement around the composition. The lines on the picture behind are running in the direction of the model’s head and body. On the smaller picture to the left, the bottom right hand corner of it seems to point towards the head, helping to direct attention towards the area again. These factors I think, are really more of a happy accident than intentional. I feel that I've captured the model's character and achieved a good likeness - and he agrees. However I did struggle with the leg proportions. Comparing this with certain earlier exercises - The Longer Pose and others,  I can detect an improvement in my technique overall, despite the extra time taken in this drawing. I am pleased to be able to admit, my confidence to do both figures and faces has improved markedly over this part of the course, in spite of one or two moments of frustration.

My poor husband was very patient considering I didn’t finish within 2 hours. It was more like 2 1/2 hours not including breaks. I felt relieved and fortunate that he was able to tolerate it as well as he did, since he had already posed for long periods of time for all the sketches and drawings for line and shape in this assignment piece, and the whole project from start to finish took me  several days to complete.

The final drawing (version 1) in pencil on gessoed paper

Spot the difference - in the second drawing above, the cup and slippers have been removed. 
Also I altered the the model's right hand and left foot. These were all points that my tutor commented about in feedback re- the believability of right hand and were the cup and slippers necessary? 
The sole of the model's left foot looked distorted, with no definition to the heel causing the sole to curve round and up the inside of the ankle. This whole are was one solid flat mass. The whole foot looked stiff and too straight. Rectifying this was a process of erasing and re-shading in the odd (appropriate) location.  The toes were adjusted slightly and the lower left leg widened - which looked too narrow and straight before. Practising by sketching my own foot beforehand definitely made the process more straightforward. It surprised me how this time I could see much easier the angles and shapes in relation to one another than during the first attempt. Now the ball of the foot and the toes actually appear to have a convex curve to them, so looking much more natural.
The intention originally with the cup and slippers was to add context, but now they have disappeared I  realize they were over the top and drawing attention away from the focal point - the model. In fact not really doing the job they were intended for. On this occasion there's enough going on elsewhere. 
Beforehand the fingers looked too straight, limp and flat . The fingers were rather like the empty fingers of a glove hanging loose.  I altered the angle slightly, so there was plenty of erasing and rendering to do. It was definitely more demanding  to do than the feet. Now I think it looks more three dimensional and appears to hang naturally as though the armrest is partially supporting the hand, which it is. Looking at the faults now I'm amazed how I didn't see them at first - they appear so obvious now. It's been quite a learning curve I hope that  as I keep looking hard signs of progress will become more apparent. 

Research Point - Self Portraits

Graham Sutherland,  (1903-80)

When I was visiting London earlier in the summer I called into the National Portrait Gallery, where I spotted this self portrait in oil on canvas. Graham Sutherland was a big landscape painter and a war artist, but he also did quite a number of portraits of famous people such as Somerset Maughan and Winston Churchill. As I was scanning each portrait along the walls in the gallery,  this one immediately caught my attention. 

Painted in 1977, during his final years, the expression looks contented, yet I can see a hint of dark underlying sternness on the right side of the face and the intense concentration is evident. The other side of the face is lit up with a lovely reflective quality and light appears to be shimmering out from around the head. I also notice a curious thing about the face - sometimes I find it looks serious and at other times grinning, rather like Leonardo's famous Mona Lisa.  All brushwork looks free and loose, especially in the background. 

I think the domination of the colour and shade of green also help to exude an air of quiet calmness. In effect, every part of the painting seems to be bathed in the green atmosphere. 

Vincent Van Gogh

This was painted shortly after the death of his beloved brother Theo – his last self portrait. The eyes appear to say it all, a look of utter devastation and despair and the background of swirling lines seem to pulsate with the turmoil probably going through his mind.

Rembrandt van Rijn

Rembrandt is thought to have depicted himself in paintings, etchings and drawings a record number of times. 

Another final self portrait - this has misty atmosphere around the face, through it he stares out with a piercing yet contemplating look. Amongst the washes applied on his clothes, I think great tonal depth has been achieved, furthered by fine hatching, although it still retains a soft and flowing appearance. 

Self Portrait 1956

Ink on paper 12.5 x 7.5 cm

William Utermohlen

Through a series of self portraits William Utermohlen recorded a very poignant portrayal of his decline into dementia. Archives http://www.nowpublic.com/health/william-utermohlen-s-self-portraits-chronicling-descent-alzheimer-s#ixzz1YJZ7LRAA

This is a self portrait of him as a young man. Minimal lines very adequately describe the ruffled hair . The vertical hatched lines on the face appear to be rapidly drawn and decisive, echoing his determined expression peering out under the spectacles.

David Hockney

This is another drawing where the treatment is sparse but very effective and there is no doubt about it being a true likeness! A piercing stare again - I guess this is only natural when studying intently one's own reflection. 

Kathe Kollwitz

The last great German expressionist and outstanding artist of social protest.

The portrait emits a darkly sad expression enhanced by deep shadow in the lower half of the face, particularly around the eyes, and the supporting hand on the forehead. The dense mesh of linear hatching spirals outwards from the centre around the eyes, is carried through onto the hand, and becomes gradually bolder and looser towards the outer areas. This dark, quite disturbing mood, emitted (as with so much of her work) is perhaps a reflection of the misery and hardship she witnessed and endured during her lifetime.

Bruno Schulz

Right is a self portrait by Bruno Schulz. He was a well known writer, said to be comparable 
to Franz Kafka, and an artist up to 1942, when he was shot in Poland by the Nazis. I wasn't able to find when he did this portrait. It has a very direct appearance, reflected in the type of marks used, while deep and esoteric.
There is also a serious and wary look about the eyes - hardly suprising.