Poll: Do you like Kate's new official portrait?

[Polished]

It's very static, a set expression that lacks life and animation. It doesn't sound like many people would miss this portrait if it wasn't around. It's missed the mark big time.

 

[justginger]

I think the portrait shows great skill - the artist is obviously very talented. Her hair is just perfect, gorgeous. I think her smile looks like her, in photos I've seen before, but not the typical beaming grin she gives. It looks like an uncomfortable expression, caught between words or something. But her eyes - they don't look right to me. Far too squinty.

The whole thing is simply unflattering. I can't believe this is their official portrait of the fresh, gorgeous face that has completely revitalized the world's opinion of one of the long-surviving monarchies.

 

[JewelFreak]

Awful. Her mouth, not even a habitual expression of hers.

 

[JewelFreak]

Awful. The mouth, not even a habitual expression of hers.

 

[rosetta]

I have seen photos in the media where she makes that face, so it might be a natural expression of hers.

She wears that expression ALL THE TIME. I have seen her in the flesh when she was opening a building. it's a signature facial expression.

It's not a falsely flattering portrait but I wholly disagree that it's not at all true to life.

She is an incredibly beautiful woman, but also a REAL woman, with human flaws.

There is nothing to indicate that she hates the portrait (silly photos aside) either.

 

[rosetta]

Oh and the grey cast to her face is in the photo, not in the portrait itself.

ETA: it's hard to look your best in fully facing forward photo, unless your face is very symmetrical. That's why passport photos are usually rubbish.

 

[vc10um]

The portrait, in terms of reproducing her expression, is actually quite true to the sitting photos that were taken for the portrait last summer. Those can be seen in the YouTube video detailing its creation. I also think it's an expression she makes quite frequently, like Rosetta said, I've seen a similar half-smile many times before in paparazzi shots. From what I've read, most of the official portraits are quite serious, but that's not Kate's persona at all, so I'm wondering if this half-smile is a compromise between her ideal (full smile) and that of the royal family?

The gray cast is what worried me the most...glad to know that's a photographic artifact and not actually visible on the portrait...thanks for the hands-on info, Rosetta!

That all being said, I still think there's a bit of her light and life lacking in the depiction.

 

[Deactivated member 42515]

The portrait hasn't captured her beauty. Also, I don't like the way her mouth is closed like that. It's like she's trying to hide her teeth. She has a beautiful smile and the painting fails to caputure that or her vibrance.

ETA - if only it were the 1500s...she could have held the artist for treason in the Tower of London and had a new painting commissioned!

I like the way you think! Treason! To the dungeons!

It's a terrible painting. I understand maybe trying to make her look a little bit older because this painting is going to be around for a while but she looks so unhappy! I would be upset of this was my painting.

 

[JewelFreak]

Besides the mouth, which is awful & not like her, the faded-ness of the whole painting turns me off. I don't believe it's only due to the camera -- look at people next to the painting in photos; they look normal. She is a vibrant woman with lovely contrasting coloring in her hair & complexion -- fading her like that is one thing that ages her.

The recent fashion in royal portraiture seems to be more "warts" than "all." Rolf Harris, who painted the queen in 2005, said he initially made her look like "a butcher from Norwich." I'm not crazy about the queen's Australian official portrait either; she looks like her favorite Corgi just died. It's one thing not to make someone prettier or younger than reality, but I get the impression these painters want to show how un-dazzled they are by royals. Cool, but be accurate.

--- Laurie

 

[sapphirering]

I think the portrait shows a good deal of her likeness without the smile and a ton of makeup. Google royaldish and you will see lots of unphotoshopped photos of her.

 

[Christina...]

Off with his head!!!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I agree. It is unflattering at best. As a painting though, it is very well done.

 

[TC1987]

Her first reaction say it all.

Just for the record I lied, or was joking.
I just found those three pics and creating my own captions.

I'm so bad.

Very funny! If she wanted a portrait that says "Here's how I looked when I was pregnant, exhausted, and extremely nauseated," then I think it's a great likeness. Otherwise, it truly should be burned.

 

[pregcurious]

Her nose is oddly wide, and her mouth looks unhappy. I have no idea why one would choose to paint her this way. I also don't like the style of the painting.

 

[marcy]

She is a very beautiful lady. This portrait does not do her justice.

 

[ksinger]

The expression bothers me less than the lack of contrast of the entire portrait. She has such vibrant coloring - beautiful shiny, dark hair and eyes, and lovely pale skin to contrast those against. As others have pointed out, the whole thing just seems washed out, dull.

 

[cookies]

Her hair and her eyes look great in the portrait, but her cheeks and the mouth area look a bit weird. It looks as if she is holding in a laugh, and she might burst into laughter at any moment..

 

[Cehrabehra]

It looks like she was lost 15 years ago and they're trying to age her so we'd know what she looks like now. Or I could say - that's what she'll look like when she's much older and the queen.... but it's not at all flattering for what she looks like now.

 

[indecisive]

I think the portrait shows a good deal of her likeness without the smile and a ton of makeup. Google royaldish and you will see lots of unphotoshopped photos of her.

Wow, the people on royaldish really hate her and William! They get so nasty!

 

[bunnycat]

Woof...Is that really an official portrait? She looks so cheerful and vibrant in pictures and that portrait just needs to go. It's terrible. Her nose looks off, her mouth looks off and the whole thing just looks flat and unlifelike.

 

[partgypsy]

Are you sure the artist didn't accidently use a picture of Fergie by accident?

 

[Sha]

Yack, no! It makes her look older than she is. One eye looks bigger than the other, and the bags under her eyes and wrinkles seem really exaggerated. And her skin looks cold.

 

[VRBeauty]

I'm not sure whether to believe this - is the Daily Beast a satire site?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...-a-new-flattering-version.html?obref=obinsite

The artist behind the much-mocked Kate Middleton portrait has revealed that in response to the savage criticism he received for his picture, he has created a new, much more complimentary picture of the Duchess – but he won’t let it be photographed.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Paul Emsley said that, stung by public reaction to the piece which he described as a ‘witch hunt’, he began wondering if he should have done the portrait differently.


“To answer the question, he picked up a piece of black chalk a few days ago and began cathartically sketching another work. This time, it was the way the duchess’s devoted followers so often see her in glossy magazines and airbrushed photos. Flawless. Glamorous. The fairy-tale beauty who bagged a prince," writes the Post. “But a funny thing happened as he did the sketch. The self-doubt of a man who is his own worst critic began to fade, replaced with a growing certainty that the canvas hanging in London’s National Portrait Gallery is not only the better version, but maybe even the masterwork of his career.”

I know. Artists eh?

 

[Imdanny]

137 now with my vote 138 to 5.