Today I finally glued the fabric to my painting! I had wanted to be done with it yesterday, but I spent an hour stretching the fabric over the foam board -- until I realized that I was taping it to the wrong side. I was l i v i d. But, I fixed it. It took me a while to find a suitable adhesive because I wanted to use Yes! paste, but I couldn't find any. Also, I thought that hot glue might leave odd lumps. So, I used some liquid craft glue. I had placed two heavy books over the piece before I left class yesterday because I wanted to flatten out the curled corners. This worked pretty well, so I put the books on the fabric again after applying the glue to ensure its firmness. There is a little bit of white peeking out along one of the edges, but I will probably be able to just cut it. Also, I have no idea how I should display this, but I have faith that Coach will be able to advise me. Finally, though, the hardest part is done!
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It took me much longer to edit these pictures than I had anticipated. Ultimately, I purposefully chose these 5 pictures because of the sensation of displacement I get from them, similar to nostalgia. I think it is important to reflect on the lives we have lived thus far, especially in those years of imaginations expanded by schooling but not yet dampened by 'real world' practicalism. The edits appear somewhat grainy, but I like the heavy saturation. The process of editing a picture is not quick, as I make alterations with care and precision. I still need to figure out the logistics of displaying the images, not to mention how I may add handwritten text to the collection. I will likely be asking Coach Hall for advice in the near future.
This project has almost entirely consumed my thoughts for the past three days. It has bothered me so much that I have created something that I dislike. Acrylic painting is a precarious niche of fast - paced work and decisive color schemes -- areas in which I am decidedly not well - versed.
I began painting Friday night. I began by mixing a deep reddish - purple that matched the base layer. I vacillated for a very long time about whether or not I should just completely re - do the whole thing. It was agonizing. Finally, I just put the brush down and dappled away. I realized that I liked this new color for the chest, and so I cautiously began to blend it into the highlights of the breasts. I moved slowly and carefully because I had already learned (by an embarrassing amount of trial - and - error) that acrylic paints cannot simply "look similar"; any nuance in value or tone can be easily perceived. Unforgiving. Then, I carefully mixed my paints to achieve the same color as the highlights so that I could even out the patchiness. It was really hard to blend the highlight into the darker color of the flatter chest area because of the quick change in value. Riskily, I simply painted the lightest highlights of the breasts, collarbone, and neck tendons -- without bothering to perseverate over the seamlessness of my blending. I had initially planned on taking a break from painting on Saturday, but I was anxious by mid - morning that I would run out of time. I focused on those awkward middle values between the highlights and shadows, which I find especially hard because they essentially 'make or break' the realism of a piece (even though this painting is abstracted, I want at least some degree of form and proportion communicated to the audience). I also struggled with finding a balance between my dappling and blending. Finally, though, I was somewhat satisfied with the shading. The piece still felt like it was missing some aspect of radiance or brilliance, though. I remembered the opalescent paint I had bought from the art store. I wondered if I should paint a layer over the whole painting to give it a greater sense of cohesion, but I had a feeling that this idea wouldn't turn out quite like I wanted it to. I tested my theory on the left corner, where the arm is. As I I had feared, it did not turn out well (Later, I circled back around to that portion of the painting and went over it with regular paint to cover up the opalescence). Instead, I painted a shimmery layer on all of the highlights. Instantly, I disliked the piece slightly less. Sunday was the day for final touches. I ended getting some smears on the painting, so I had to painstakingly blot and dab the dark spots (after briefly freaking out). I also added the necklace in silver sharpie, accentuating the highlights with a thick layer of opalescence and outlining the shadows with black fine - point sharpie. I still hadn't created a cohesive phrase for the words I was going to write in place of the necklace chain; I wanted for it to reflect the content, but I wasn't quite sure how I could best conceptualize my content? I wanted to express the notion that beauty is arbitrary, but this fact does not diminish the significance of aestheticism or the actual subject. This is the inspiration for the writing of the necklace chain. Also, I purposefully wrote one line backwards and started both lines from the same letter. It felt right to me, and that's the best explanation I've got. I still need to cut the shape of the bra out of another material (perhaps foam board), attach the fabric to that material, and then mount the whole thing onto the painting. Thus, I am still not quite sure how the whole artwork will come together. However, I appreciate this project as a learning opportunity. I had a photo session with my sister today to take the pictures for my "Body in Place" assignment. I chose to depict myself interacting with remnants of my early childhood: the hand - built swing set at my Dad's house and stuffed animals. I chose the outfit of a long sheer wrap, satin cheetah print pants, and black sports bra because it is whimsical and free - flowing, similar to my memories of the games my sister and I invented while playing on that very swing set. It was a staple of ages 7 - 12 for me, before softball, school work, and other more pressing life matters took precedence. It was an era I wished to re - experience and capture in these photographs: the art of a child's imagination. This swing set was the best location for me to do so because of the profound association I have made between this edifice and my recent youth.
The images are rather informal, although I feel that they contain much emotion and points of intrigue. I will not be editing all of these photos for use in my final display; rather, I plan on choosing ~5 to edit. Displayed above are my four final edits from the most recent photo session. These pictures, combined with the one from my previous photo session with my younger sister, will comprise my Portrait of a Friend series. I am satisfied with the quality of the pictures, especially because I actually used a professional camera. Also, editing them allowed fro me to take some artistic liberty in emphasizing certain aspects to direct the viewer's attention to details I believe are the most important (such as de-saturating the background of the picture in which Spike is licking the floor). I am thinking about displaying the pictures digitally, but having the installation accompanied by a handwritten (or multiple handwritten) poems illustrating the unique meaning of each photo, and especially how they collectively help the viewer understand the personality of Spike and my relationship with him.
After looking at this image of my process, I'm not sure if I really made any progress today. However, I did have a reassuring conversation with Coach Hall about the true purpose of this assignment. Although it has not thus far turned out like I had hoped, I at least know what kind of style I prefer -- which I can use as a starting place for researching and planning future artworks. Also, it's not as if the painting is completely useless; I still have a whole weekend dapple my heart out. I focused on small areas of blending, which you can kind of notice ...
WAIT I JUST GOT AN IDEA. What if I use a rounded brush to make a whole top layer with large dapple - dots (haha I don't know what else to call it) instead of continuing to try super tiny smatterings of color? It would be much more abstract, I think, but I could more easily blending the values with almost impasto - like marks (but not so thick). I could outline the area where the necklace will be so that I won't have to write the words over heavily - painted areas. I think I will ask Coach Hall of his opinion. If he does not explicitly tell me this is a bad idea, then I think I know how to save myself. I had a nice photo session with Spike and my mom to complete the Portrait of a Friend assignment, part 1 of my 2 home projects. I wanted to capture the essence of our interactions with Spike, so I explored photos of both life from his vantage point and our interactions with him. I am really happy with the variety of actions captured because it conveys my intended quality of realism and honest - to - life photographs. This is why I did not go out of my way to fully stylize my clothing or the background; I want for the focus to be on the mood of the subject and how the subject interacts with the typical environment. I am going to go through these pictures and choose my top 3 - 4 favorites for editing. Then, I will consider the effects of pairing the photos with a piece of writing about Spike, as a way to further enhance the personal importance of the content. I want for the viewer to truly understand that this is an artistic endeavor of expression, rather than a simple portrait series.
I am so. Mad. At. Myself. I wanted to deepen the shadows of the chest and cleavage, which I mentioned in my last post, but I went way too far. Also, the value of the top layer is much different than the undertones. To the very left of the neck, the dappling effect is much too dense. I do not think that acrylic paint was the appropriate medium for me to use with the painting process I chose, especially because I have been trying to continuously blend the colors. The variations in value wouldn't be so problematic if I could blend the paint on the actual illustration board. I really want to continue with the dappling technique, but I don't know how to do so without completely going over the whole painting with a uniform base color. Right now, my favorite part is the foreground with the well - blended highlights. I am going to do my best to imitate that area, but I have no idea how I will completely fix it.
The top picture is from the beginning of the class, and the bottom picture is from the end of class. I am overall happy with where I am as far as blending the different values. I'm struggling with determining how much contrast I want in the shadow of the cleavage and highlight right near the bra - line, though. Also, I keep on mixing slightly different values. I'm not sure if I want the undertones to be more maroon or peachy. I think I like peachy, just based on aesthetics. The chest area is daunting, though, because that part of the image is basically flat with nuances in shading.
Oh! After conferring with Coach Hall, I have decided to use opalescent fabric for the bra. I order it on Coach's Amazon Prime, so it should arrive in the next week or so. I am going to continue with my original plan of outlining the bra on another background and wrapping in the fabric. I will then mount the bra onto the original illustration board with the painting. I haven't even really begun to contemplate what I want for the words of the necklace chain to say, but it is non - negotiable that I include it because one of my main goals is to keep my "personal hand" in the work. I am thinking the content of the writing will relate closely to body image or outer appearances. Basic Facts:
CV: Museum Collections and Exhibitions
Immediately, my eyes are drawn to the sun and how the marks radiate around the center of it. I am enchanted by the rays which appear to be carved out of the paint. The trees are also wonderfully rendered in different values and tones to convey the illusion of distance and placement of the light source. I am especially drawn to the brick - like horizontal strokes along the left side of the canvas, which effectively contrast with the horizontal marks on the coastline. The orange undertones of the ocean nicely compliment the top layer of blues. All of the above information comes from Erin Hanson's website For additional information, view the videos below: Reflection:
I am absolutely stunned by Hanson's work. Her art is powerful and beautifully rendered. I cannot imagine being so completely dedicated to Art from practically the very beginning of her life, in addition to exploring the field of biology in college. I admire her commitment to mastering technical color theory and application before comfortably developing her own style. Learning about her progression as an artist has encouraged me to more seriously consider the factual basis of aestheticism and how colors interact with one another in an effective manner. I usually kind of ignore or avoid the science of Art, but I now understand that, ultimately, this aversion will only hurt my artistic progress. Also, I am usually not of fan of simply natural landscapes because I find them mundane and over - done, but the vivacious Open - Impressionism of Hanson's truly inspire a deep emotional response within me. I feel like the colors are leaping from the canvas and encompassing me in an envelope of radiant natural beauty and peace. I love the positive energy and inherent dynamism. Also, it is obvious that Hanson is purposeful in her composition in her use of continuity and the rule - of - thirds, among other techniques. I appreciate her desire to create an interaction with the artwork and the viewer, rather than simply presenting it as is. I can relate to this sentiment because this is also one of my top priorities as an artist. In regards to medium, I am immensely intimidated by her use of impasto, limited colors, and only one layer of paint. I aspire to attain that level of confidence in my artistic vision. I am now curious about Open - Impression and would like to explore this emerging style in future projects. I think I would enjoy oil painting because I am fond of the ability to continuously mix and manipulate paints, not to mention the dimension that oil paint affords, which you simply cannot recreate with acrylic paint. I was also surprised that I was so drawn to Hanson's work because I am usually a fan of subtly blended, smooth forms. Obviously, Hanson prefers more mosaic - like strokes, but the purposefulness of each individual mark is captivating. I adore the fact that you can zoom in one of her pieces and observe the pure integrity of the colors she uses, since her palette usually consists of about four, and then back away to see how the nuances come together. Hanson is, in short, a breath - taking artist. After researching and reflecting on her work, I hope to continue exploring the many resources associated with oil painting and Open - Impressionism. Additionally, I am further encouraged to utilized color properties to mindfully choose and mix my paints. |
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