This year, I specifically learned how to construct a wooden base for my abstract piece and how to underpaint. I hated underpainting for my realistic oil painting but I believe I learned many valuable techniques from that process that I would not have otherwise learned unless I was forced to practice. I also learned about the existence of conte crayons and how to work the paper and age it to reflect the actual sketches from Raphael. I really wanted to take art history this year but my schedule couldn't fit in another class. But there was a lot of history and artists introduced in this class and I appreciated that a lot.
I have seen the greatest growth in my composition and have increased the range of mediums I am able to effectively work in. I can now easily plan my figure drawings out so that they fill out the whole page. I also think I learned how to build layers of chalk and pen to create value in my pieces. I need to improve in my use of color. My color palette is always very basic and predictable. They usually consist of flat basic colors out of the paint tube. I also need to work on my line quality. For next year, I want to work on more conte but also work on my line quality, particularly working only with thin lines. I also want to use what I learned during my abstract piece to work with patterns so I can use it in my backgrounds. And although I hate doing still life, I've realized that it's absolutely necessary to fill out the background of my figure drawings and make it more interesting. I also want to work on larger pieces.
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These are some of the pages in my sketchbook that I have at home, separate from my school sketchbook.
Thomas Hart Benton's 10 panel mural is definitely a head turner. Containing mostly elements of the depression, it depicts everyday aspects of American's during that time period. He was shunned by Abstract Expressionist painters who thought of him to be too "retrograde" and "cosmopolitan." His mural transitions from New York City to the south, then finally to the west. The mural is complex values one of the key ideas of movement and time through its use of transitions.. However, his depictions are often said to be too stereotypical.
The first though I got from reading this piece and viewing this painting was that it was very iconic and dynamic. Its bright colors and dynamic figures convey a sense of movement and emotion that I believe many other paintings during this period lack. I admire the scale of his work and the dedication to his craft, as he had made hundreds of industrial sketches to utilize the best style for his mural. The idea of politics and the depictions of our everyday lives during the Depression is reflected well in Hannah's Connection Post, "...by the time conceptual art appeared, anger at art was not coming just from its appearance and form, but from the message behind the piece as well." As stated in the article, there was much backlash against this painting because of the racial stereotypes depicted in the painting and the message that that would carry over to future generations. I believe this painting is known not mostly for its style and beauty but for the message that it carries, whether it is controversial or not. A particular quote that stuck out to me in the assigned reading by Benton was "Art is being ruined by museums." I believe this shows how Benton refuses to be swayed by others in showing what he wants to show to the people. Hannah articulated Benton's idea extremely well when she wrote, "It takes artists who are willing to push forward in the art world, and face criticism from both the public and critics, for us to have new movements, and new art, with a new purpose." I believe that this was one of the messages and the purpose of Benton's creation of such a controversial piece. Yasunari Ikenaga's paintings have every subtle thing I like in a painting. It has flat colors, unique patterns, pretty subjects, and relaxed but interesting poses. Like Takato Yamamoto, mentioned in my earlier awareness post, Ikenaga's paintings are also influenced by the nihonga style and it usually shows beautiful women in a rather dreamy mood. It definitely shows seduction but in a manner that is artistic and pleasing and not necessarily offensive. From viewing his paintings, I wish to take away Ikenaga's use of color and outline into my own drawings and paintings.
A couple weeks ago I went to the VMFA with my friends . I focused mainly on art with distinct lines and more contemporary art.
Because I did not have time during this week to go to the thrift store, this Sunday I will be going there to pick up random objects that I believe would make a good sculpture. I plan on making the sculpture by breaking the things I buy and arranging them in an abstract way. I will also use the spray paint I bought a long time ago to spray the edges of my sculpture to make it more interesting. My idea is not very concrete yet because it depends on what I am able to find at the thrift store. But I am thinking of pulling out and using the wires, bits of metal, and screws inside of machines to make something futuristic and/or steampunk.
A couple tuesdays ago, I attended the lunch time lecture with Emily Smith, the Executive Director of 1708 gallery. I enjoyed her presentation a lot, especially when she discussed In Light Richmond and Monster Drawing Rally. Installation art is one of my favorite forms of art and I started to like light art ever since I visited the Hirschhorn Museum in Washington DC. The piece with the white buckets were my favorite because it was so simply yet so fluid and adaptive to its environment. I want to go to the next Monster Drawing Rally and see the artists live at work. |
AuthorMaggie L. Walker Governor's School Student in Art IV. Archives
May 2017
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