Interpreting Portraiture Collections

• Toolkit Homepage
• Interpretation - for whom?
• Interpretation - how?
• Interpretation - of what?
• Further reading and resources
• Beningborough Hall Case Study
• Acknowledgements
• Return to main Toolkits page

Interpretation through Activities

Activities should have questioning text that encourages thinking about the meaning of items in the portraits, or the role of colour, texture etc or asks the visitors to think about their preferences.

Web

Needs a substantial financial outlay. Here are some different possibilities:

• http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/pixelface.htm
• http://thegalleriesatmoore.org/activities/picmem/portraitgame.html
• http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/nof/portraits/
• http://www.georgewashington.si.edu/kids/portrait.html
• http://www.show.me.uk/hosted/faceit/index.html
• http://www.museumnetworkuk.org/portraits/activities/activities.html

High-tech Interactives

A key advantage is the ability of hi-tech to grab visitors' attention, though this can dominate and overshadow other forms of interpretation nearby. Hi-tech interactives can provide powerful collection searches by multiple variables, or can allow manipulation of images that may be hard to do by other means, plus the ability for visitors to e-mail the results afterwards.

A key disadvantage is the cost. This can be somewhat reduced by digitising and manipulating portraits in-house - cutting out figures, 'filling in' missing bits of background etc - but be aware this often is extremely heavy on staff time.

Other factors to consider are how many visitors can use the interactive at one time and how long they spend on it - potentially queues may form - and how it will be maintained and repaired when necessary. Suggested hi-tech interactives include:

• Photographer's studio using 'blue screen' technology, with dressing up, and then choice of backgrounds and props to be added digitally - facility to email finished photograph - gives opportunity to publicise your venue
• Face capture with choices of body type, background type etc - facility to email finished 'painting' - gives opportunity to publicise your venue
• Drawing programmes with clipart features to drag and drop on to a face
• Portrait collection search, allowing searching by sitter as well as artist, and other variables such as date, medium etc

Reference: See also Beningbrough Case Study

Low-tech Interactives

These are generally much cheaper than high tech and often more flexible, allowing visitors to try out their own different ideas - they do, however, tend to need more space and require a text panel, often with questioning text, and, if possible, the chance for visitors to use their own cameras.

They need regular maintenance, cleaning etc, so a set of 'spares' is necessary wherever possible, and staff willing to restore items to order regularly throughout opening hours. They can be created in a range of styles to fit with different designs for the gallery, whether 'period' or modern.

It is also possible to create low-tech interactives about the achievements/work/interests of a sitter but the suggestions below are to help interpret the portrait itself:

• Masks and a mirror (remember to make the mask in reverse of the portrait so that when the wearer looks in the mirror the reflection that they see will match the portrait) - text might invite them to think about their pose and expression
• Choice of background curtains on a rail and a full-length mirror (again, reverse the background - project a slide backwards onto fabric and then paint it or make photographically)
• Items of clothing and fabric for wrapping, maybe with choice of headgear, for dressing up, with a full-length mirror; alternatively make body masks for clothing (fronts only) which hang over the shoulders a bit like a breastplate - text encouraging thinking about the messages given by different clothing
• Range of possible accessories/props for visitors to select for their portrait, again with text encouraging thinking about meanings
• All the above together for visitors to create whole portraits
• Role-plays between artists and sitters
• Items of underclothes for dressing up in that shape the body - corsets, crinolines etc - to explore appearance and pose in portraits
• Replica portrait sculpture (or real under appropriate conditions) to touch
• Samples of different sculptural media to touch (with feely boxes, if preferred)
• 3d jigsaws
• Modelling material to alter or add features to a 3d face (protect a wide area around this type of activity)
• Fabric samples to touch (with feely boxes, if preferred)
• Facial features or body parts in Velcro and Velcro board
• Facial features or body parts with magnets and metal board

Reference: Beningbrough Case Study

Small scale, portable Interactives

In situations where it is not possible to install interactives, visitors such as family groups can borrow smaller portable interactives from a desk and carry them into the space, returning them after use.

Ideally, to reduce maintenance needs, these should not include consumables but regular checking will be required plus careful design to facilitate good order.

Text could be questioning as well as giving information - one technique is to have a children's side and an adults side to the activity text - adults like to know what their children are getting out of doing a particular activity. Design at least some activities that specifically focus on unlocking meanings in the portraits. Suggested activities include:

• Samples of fabric to find in painted portraits
• Fuzzy felts (make your own using felt and coarse sandpaper for the boards)
• Jigsaws - if possible, design your own cuts to reinforce the meaning of the portrait, rather than having standard jigsaw cuts
• Real objects to find in painted portraits (e.g. artificial flowers, fans, strings of pearls - cake decorating shops are good for these - can be miniature versions e.g. plastic animals, dolls house accessories and so on)
• Small-scale dressing-up e.g. hats with unbreakable mirror
• Mask of make-up with unbreakable mirror
• Beards and whiskers with unbreakable mirror
• Handling samples of sculptural media
• Palette of colours to match with painted portraits