Project 3
Title: Destruction is Creation
Size: 30.48 cm x 40.64 cm
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Date: November 2017
Exhibition Text: My fourth piece was inspired by the works of Monet. Not necessarily the painting techniques but more so the subject matter and hues. Monet is known for depicting landscapes and nature through warm hues or cool hues. I took these ideas and put together a painting that showed creation emerging from a decaying background, with the use of warm hues and roses.
Artistic Inspiration
The artistic inspiration behind my art piece was Monet. Monet is known for dissolving his subjects into light and an atmosphere, with soft edges, sunny hues and landscapes. His early technique was applying small dabs of pigment next to one another. This was called optical mixing, where the broken colors blended at a distance. After warring out this technique, Monet switched his painting style. Rather than specs, he lightened his brushstrokes into sinuous sweeps. This eliminated outlines and contours and created hazy mists of swirling colors.
Experimentation
When I began this process, I started with the idea of creating a fresh water lily surfacing from a pond of contaminated water. However, I found it rather difficult creating a pond that looked like it was contaminated while still being able to be seen as a body of water. It mostly looked like mush or mud and I was not satisfied with that outcome. As I thought about the mush and mud, I began to think about soil. From what I had created with the attempt of painting contaminated water, I had seen the possibility of turning it into tarnished or decaying soil. This consisted of mostly yellow, green and brown. I then decided to use this for the background and switched the idea of a water lily into a rose. So rather than having a a water lily emerging from contaminated water, I had a rose emerging from contaminated soil.
Process
1. Gathering Ideas
To begin my process I begun by sketching three different ideas of what I could see my painting possibly becoming. The first was a water lily emerging from foul water. This was almost similar to my second sketch of a rose flourishing from bad soil. My third sketch was something along the lines of nature growing over fallen buildings, however I found this to be unoriginal.
To begin my process I begun by sketching three different ideas of what I could see my painting possibly becoming. The first was a water lily emerging from foul water. This was almost similar to my second sketch of a rose flourishing from bad soil. My third sketch was something along the lines of nature growing over fallen buildings, however I found this to be unoriginal.
2, Connecting a Theme
Once I had an idea for my piece, I connected it to my overarching them of change and deterioration. In previous art pieces I have portrayed the negative outcomes of what something like the death of our planet can cause and what's causing our planet to die. For this piece I wanted to switch my perspective into a more positive viewpoint. I wanted to portray how it is possible for something beautiful to still grow even as our planet is worsening. In doing this I decided to use a rose, since roses can represent beauty.
Once I had an idea for my piece, I connected it to my overarching them of change and deterioration. In previous art pieces I have portrayed the negative outcomes of what something like the death of our planet can cause and what's causing our planet to die. For this piece I wanted to switch my perspective into a more positive viewpoint. I wanted to portray how it is possible for something beautiful to still grow even as our planet is worsening. In doing this I decided to use a rose, since roses can represent beauty.
3. Transferring Ideas
After connecting a solid theme with my final sketch, I knew I was ready to start painting. I stretched a canvas and applied gesso, in order to create a base for my paint. I then gathered my oil paints and brushes. Once the canvas was ready to be painted on I drew on a grid and began to re sketch my image of the roses onto the canvas.
After connecting a solid theme with my final sketch, I knew I was ready to start painting. I stretched a canvas and applied gesso, in order to create a base for my paint. I then gathered my oil paints and brushes. Once the canvas was ready to be painted on I drew on a grid and began to re sketch my image of the roses onto the canvas.
4. Applying the paint
When my outline was complete, I began to apply paint by first starting with the background. I laid down a layer of yellow paint to begin with. From here I began to add colors of brown to the top corner of the canvas in order to create a muddy appearance. To mimic the colors of my inspirational artist, I added a tint of gold to warm up the background. Following this, I added colors of green to the bottom corner of the canvas to portray rot or something gone foul. Once I completed the background I began to paint the roses. The stems of the roses were made with a dark green color, also with a tint of brown in black because it is the part of the flower that is directly coming from the foul background. As the roses come out from the canvas, they appear to be anew. I tried to show this by adding bright red colors with white highlights to make it seem like it has just flourished completely or have finally received some sunlight.
When my outline was complete, I began to apply paint by first starting with the background. I laid down a layer of yellow paint to begin with. From here I began to add colors of brown to the top corner of the canvas in order to create a muddy appearance. To mimic the colors of my inspirational artist, I added a tint of gold to warm up the background. Following this, I added colors of green to the bottom corner of the canvas to portray rot or something gone foul. Once I completed the background I began to paint the roses. The stems of the roses were made with a dark green color, also with a tint of brown in black because it is the part of the flower that is directly coming from the foul background. As the roses come out from the canvas, they appear to be anew. I tried to show this by adding bright red colors with white highlights to make it seem like it has just flourished completely or have finally received some sunlight.
5. Details and Final Touches
Once the main parts of the roses were painted in, I went into the rose petals with colors of blue to really capture the life of the roses. I added more white to the petals as well in order to clearly portray the highlights that make the rose seem as though there was light shining on them. I did this same thing of adding white paint to the leaves of the roses.
Once the main parts of the roses were painted in, I went into the rose petals with colors of blue to really capture the life of the roses. I added more white to the petals as well in order to clearly portray the highlights that make the rose seem as though there was light shining on them. I did this same thing of adding white paint to the leaves of the roses.
6. Compare and Contrast
Compared to my artist inspiration the outcome of this piece was somewhat similar. I wasn't able to create a full landscape, however I did reflect on nature. My attempt to using the same brushstroke technique got lost in my own technique. In areas where I tried to include long lightened brushstrokes, such as the rose petals, I ended up with not so lightened sweeps that ended up creating contour withing my work. However, I think I was successful in using similar color ranges to complete this painting.
Compared to my artist inspiration the outcome of this piece was somewhat similar. I wasn't able to create a full landscape, however I did reflect on nature. My attempt to using the same brushstroke technique got lost in my own technique. In areas where I tried to include long lightened brushstrokes, such as the rose petals, I ended up with not so lightened sweeps that ended up creating contour withing my work. However, I think I was successful in using similar color ranges to complete this painting.
Reflection
After being completely done with my painting, I found that the application of paint had been done beautifully. I was overall quite satisfied with the results. The use of oil paints rather than acrylics had created better blends in the colors. I had used long brushstrokes in the petals of the flowers, similar to the late work of Monet. One thing that I would add or change is the color of the background. I feel as though I added too much yellow and that it looks too smoothed out for a background that is supposed to be portraying contaminated soil or decay. To fix this I could try adding a bit of black and brown paint to capture that image of actual soil gone bad. I did like the outcome of the roses. I can clearly see how the closer to the background it is, the more it looks decayed. As the rose comes out it flourishes into what looks new, fresh and beautiful.
ACT Questions
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
My inspiration was Monet. I mimicked his technique of using warm hues and lightened brushstrokes to create a hazy background that would portray how destruction can be forgotten and put behind us, in order to move on with creation.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My research focused mostly on the way my artist was able to focus on the subject matter of nature and landscapes. As an overall approach, my artistic inspiration prefers to complete their work using sinuous brushstroke sweeps for less outline, rather than using harsh strokes.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
While researching my inspiration, I came across the impressionism culture. Monet was a major component in this particular art movement. Monet along with other fellow artists started a culture where work was characterized by immediate visual sensations, through color and light.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea of my inspiration was once again deterioration. A broader theme would be change. However, for this project instead of focusing on the negative outcomes of destruction, I changed my perspective into a view that's more optimistic. My base for this art piece is that from destruction we can have creation. The end of something we have loved can be the start of something else that can also be beautiful, if not more.
5. What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
While performing my research I have concluded that myself, along with any other artists, draw inspiration from our different cultures that then factor into the creation of our art.
My inspiration was Monet. I mimicked his technique of using warm hues and lightened brushstrokes to create a hazy background that would portray how destruction can be forgotten and put behind us, in order to move on with creation.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
My research focused mostly on the way my artist was able to focus on the subject matter of nature and landscapes. As an overall approach, my artistic inspiration prefers to complete their work using sinuous brushstroke sweeps for less outline, rather than using harsh strokes.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
While researching my inspiration, I came across the impressionism culture. Monet was a major component in this particular art movement. Monet along with other fellow artists started a culture where work was characterized by immediate visual sensations, through color and light.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central idea of my inspiration was once again deterioration. A broader theme would be change. However, for this project instead of focusing on the negative outcomes of destruction, I changed my perspective into a view that's more optimistic. My base for this art piece is that from destruction we can have creation. The end of something we have loved can be the start of something else that can also be beautiful, if not more.
5. What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
While performing my research I have concluded that myself, along with any other artists, draw inspiration from our different cultures that then factor into the creation of our art.