4.4 Low Poly Portrait
Objective
Simplify a portrait into a low poly artwork while maintaining the illusion of form.
1) Take a high-quality portrait of yourself or friend. The photo studio is a great resource for this.
2) Open the photograph in Photoshop and edit the lighting/color.
3) Create your triangles using the grid and keeping in mind how size can impact the illusion of form:
- Select a triangle using the Polygonal Lasso (L). Avoid right triangles.
- Copy the selection onto a new layer (Control + J).
- Select the newly-created layer and blur it (Filter > Average Blur).
- Repeat using the Action function. Download the action here.
4) Edit your triangle colors as needed and add a background. Make sure no gaps exist between the triangles.
5) Optional: Use overlap and shadows to create the illusion of depth and form.
Novice (50%)
Student does not complete all steps, has noticeable gaps between triangles, or submits work incorrectly.
Apprentice (80%)
Student completes most steps, image has a lack of form, or a weak attention to detail.
Master (100%)
Student completes all steps, image has clear form and a strong attention to detail.
Grandmaster (Extra Credit)
Student expertly uses overlap and shadows to elevate their image even further.
- Add to your site and submit the URL
