Innovation
Research Assessment 7 Subject: Lessons from Loving Vincent Works Cited (MLA 8 citation[s]) Kobiela, Dorota and Hugh Welchman, directors. Loving Vincent. Loving Vincent, BreakThru Productions, 22 Sept. 2017. About a week ago, I watched a film I had been looking forwards to for a while. It entirely made with paintings. It is about Vincent Van Gogh’s life, but mainly the impact of his death. In every frame was a painting made by a team of artists made with Van Gogh’s distinct style. It was an utterly magnificent. I sat in awe throughout the movie; I could not keep my eyes from it. This immersive experience was enhanced by the lessons this film expressed. Of course, on its own, the movie is beautiful; it serves its purpose well. However, it showcases more than that. The film proved these two seemingly incompatible mediums work well together. If someone is passionate enough about something, they will find a way to make it work. Ms. Vernon, my mentor from last year, used to say this, and she was right. The artists alone show this; they pursued their passion and found a way to make it work. They prove that it is possible to incorporate more traditional painting in the movie industry. In doing so, they have gained a great deal of promotion from the movie itself and will hopefully profit from the paintings they made for the film. The power of innovation is astounding; it can create success in the most incredible ways. This film encourages me to pursue my passion regardless of the circumstances because, in doing so, I can find creative ways to achieve my goals. A mindset focused on innovation, will undoubtedly prove advantageous. With it, I can further develop myself and continue pursuing this path. These great artists have also taught me a great deal about expressionist painting. Achieving it has always been my goal.. The artists, through emulation of Van Gogh’s work, illustrate clearly what I can do to create better paintings in this style. The faces alone were inspiring. They were not entirely realistic, but still managed to express every sort of emotion. The variety of colors used to create these portraits were awe inspiring. There seemed to be hundreds of shades of red, green, blue, purple, and yellow in each painting. The skies also contained what felt like an infinite amount of blues and greens. I have realized that I am missing countless colors that I could include in my paintings. The beauty of these paintings motivates me to attempt to seek to incorporate all these techniques when I paint in this style. Van Gogh’s style is impressive, but the lessons in his life prove to be even more meaningful to me. When faced all sorts of adversity, regardless of what anyone said or did, he followed his passion. Van Gogh painted for almost a decade; only one of his paintings was sold during his lifetime. One, one painting. This, however, did not stop him. Van Gogh moved forward against the current. He may have arguably drowned, yet, over a century later, his paintings stand as some of the best this world has to offer. He may have died, but his passion survived. It is not success that matters, but fulfillment, happiness. Van Gogh has shown me, that as long as I find happiness in painting I should pursue it. He has become an inspiration. Even my quote for the year (from Van Gogh) reflects this: “If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” Seeing this inspires me to create a set of paintings, for my original work or final product inspired by Van Gogh. I could paint in a similar setting and environment, and in doing so could develop more of my own style. Emulating his expressionism will allow me to delve deeper into the art world, and it will encourage me to further pursue growth. This movie and consequently Van Gogh both have taught me how to paint better portraits, how to better my expressionism, and, most importantly, that nothing can stand in the way of my passion besides, well, me.
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Expressionism
Research Assessment 6 Subject: Painting in a new Style I have a loose style when I paint. I value that almost fluid or blurry look some paintings may have. In a way, my pieces resemble expressionism, but not completely. My brush strokes are not as obvious or as varied in color as expressionist paintings tend to be. This style of painting is a sort of goal for me. That is why I have dedicated one of my most recent paintings to creating something resembling expressionism; that is not all, though, I decided to also dabble in fauvism. These kind of paintings have colors that are unrealistic and usually complementary. Most fauvist artists use bold and simple colors to create a complex image. I thought exploring both these techniques in one painting would be a great learning experience; not just because they are similar to one another, but also because they allow me to continue searching for new ways to paint. Stepping out of my comfort zone is the best way to improve, so most of my year will be dedicated to exploring new ways to paint. I have already painted something with my hands; for that reason, I decided to try something less drastic this time. Although the way I am painting is not completely different from how I usually paint,- it feels more like an extension to how I paint- the combination of expressionism and fauvism is different enough to prompt a change in how I tackle the painting. I painted my dog, Lucky, in a close-up photo. I changed the original brown and white fur to red and yellow, and the red bricks and blue-white floor to purple and blue. Of course, I added many different colors to create these simplified colors, but for the most part the background became a spectrum of cool colors and the foreground became one of warm colors. Painting in the fauvist style felt odd. The colors did not seem right; it was not real. Still, I felt the painting was more complex because of that. The joyous warm colors contrasted with the dreary eyes of dog in the photo. Dogs are usually synonymous with happiness, like the warm colors, but this one clearly is not. This juxtaposition of messages implied by the dog and the color adds a bit more detail and meaning behind the painting. I have always seen colors as a way to manipulate paintings; I never before thought of them as a way to create a message to the viewer. My first layer had all the colors and values established, so in that sense, it was fauvist. However, it was not expressionist; it looked like one of my usual paintings. I needed to add the obvious and varying colorful strokes most of these paintings usually have. Not only would that create the texture of the fur, but also add the illusion of blending from far away. I adore that look: simple and bright colors brushed around one another. What looks like a black shadow from far away is actually a mixture of brown, purple, and blue brush strokes. Painting like this embraces the fact that the piece is a painting while creating something that resembles realism. Admittedly, I was not able to create that perfectly in my artwork, but it was close. The colors clearly vary and the strokes are present. I am overjoyed with the result. It is different from what I usually do; it is much more bright and expressive. It looks more purposeful and complex. Clearly, this attempt at something different, like before, was extremely useful for my development. These new techniques have taught me that I love the fauvist look, and that I have the ability to create expressionist paintings. Once again, stepping out of my comfort zone has allowed me to take another step on my journey to find a unique style, my style and technique. Unlike before though, I have learned that I do not need to take drastic actions to find new creative ways to paint. Both the aforementioned styles look similar already to what I usually do, so this was not a stretch. Nevertheless, it was useful. This experience has been motivating. I feel encouraged to keep trying out different and new techniques. One aspect of this exploration of art styles is that I feel more inspired to paint more often than before. In fact, I want to paint more often because of how intriguing exploration can be. Another aspect of this experience is that idea that this allows me to improve myself has been validated again. I want to keep trying new techniques in order to develop and mold myself as a painter. Continuing this will undoubtedly be useful. I believe this idea could be useful in my original work. My inclination is to report on how painting in these different ways impact the way I paint. Already I know that painting with my hands has reinforced the idea that I value detail less than value and shape, and I know that painting with a mixture of expressionism and fauvism has motivated me to focus more on how each brush stroke differs from the other. This already makes me more conscious of how I paint; if I report it, I could more effectively find new ways to develop and improve. Sketching
Research Assessment 5 Subject: Doing Something Different Works Cited (MLA 8 citation[s]) Rosa Nanini, Luiz Fernando. Sketches. 2017, Frisco, TX. An important goal of mine this year had been to step out of my comfort zone. I want to make painting something I cannot live without; I want it to be my source of motivation and consolation. To do this, I have to make painting and drawing my habits, which is what I have been attempting to do. Although the progression may not be as quick as I would like, there is improvement. I am beginning to paint more consistently and skillfully. One thing I have started to do is sketch. It is something that was recommended to me whenever I went to Dallas’ Portfolio night, but it is also something I have not done in a great deal of time. The last time I sketched out of my own volition was in the beginning of middle school when I first began drawing. I have always just assumed I do not have enough time for it, but, as usual, I was wrong. There is more than enough time to sketch; all I need to do is find it. My sketches are different from before, though. Besides being better in quality, they are more observational. I usually make my art off pictures I or my family has taken, but rarely do I draw or paint something in front of me. It has always seemed rather difficult to do; it takes time and planning. I mean, there is no way I can expect someone to sit still while I paint for an hour, and it would be far too inconvenient to bring all my art utensil somewhere other than my house. Sketching, however, is much more convenient. All I need are a few pencils and a sketchbook. Sketching from observation is incredibly enjoyable; although, I sometimes feel creepy while doing it. I have sketched quite a few drawings over the past month, and have noticed marked improvement between each sketch. I find that sketching keeps me from losing some of my muscle memory over time, and it inspires me with new ideas constantly, while also encouraging me to look into the world with an artistic eye. I am beginning to see shapes, not things; value, not light; lines, not shadow. This different outlook into what I see in the world is marvelous. It keeps me engaged, focused on my surroundings, and fosters creativity. I find it invaluable; I want to keep doing it, even if I tire from it every now and again. This fits well into what I have been doing, and promotes constant drawing. I feel deeply motivated to keep sketching. Not just for the aforementioned benefits of it, but also for its ability to promote risk-taking. Sketching is just what I have been looking for: a method to step out of my comfort zone. I will definitely be sketching in the future. It seems like the best tool to make me begin making painting a major part of my life. With it I may make painting a habit, find new and creative ways to create art, and improve my skills. I want to use this tool to its full potential in order to promote my growth as an artist, so that is what I will motivate myself to do. |