Summer Project/Studio 4:
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Baby
These baby paintings were all created with bright colors and they were inspired by Surrealist, Impressionist, and Cubist artists. I chose these artists for their bright use of colors, and their abstract forms of expression. From a baby's perspective the world is just as colorful, bright, and unrealistic. Also all three of the paintings are based off of the same image because it is from the past, and the past cannot change. These images are close ups, because as a baby all the attention is focused on us.
Surrealism 21.59cmx27.94cm
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Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
"The Starry Night - Google Arts & Culture." Google Cultural Institute. MoMA, n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2016. |
Impressionism 21.59cmx27.94cm
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This second painting was inspired by the impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh. The background consists of pink swirls that a reminiscent of his piece "Starry Night". The shading and the blending of the hair and face is not as smooth as it should be. This creates another connection to the impressionist style.
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This final painting was inspired by Pablo Picasso and the Cubism art movement. The works can be compared in the use of angular shapes and thought out color choices to form a clear image.
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Girl with a Mandolin by Pablo Picasso
"Pablo Picasso." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2016. |
Cubism 21.59cmx27.94cm
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Process
Tools
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Process
I began by drawing myself as a baby on a piece of drawing paper. This image was based on a photo. I used the grid method to make the proportions as accurate as possible. Then I performed a graphite transfer to copy my illustration to my canvas. Lastly, I painted each canvas according to my inspiration. |
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Teenager
These illustrations were all made based off of the same image. This is because I was a teenager and the past cannot change. I chose the black and white color scheme, because it is another way to symbolize the past. Being a teenager the focus is less on yourself, hence the more zoomed out perspective.
This image was done in pencil. I used the regular shading technique. Out of the three illustrations in the teenager set I am least satisfied with this piece. I manage to loose the way I look in the face work. I think if I reworked the eyebrows and eyes it would look more like myself.
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Shading 21.59cmx27.94cm
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Tools
I began by placing a grid on my paper that correlated with the grid on my reference image. Then I simply attempted to recreate the image one row at a time with using sharpie pens or pencils and using either the stippling, shading, or cross-hatching techniques. |
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Adult
These adult paintings are three different possibilities of my future. Notice how none of them have a face. This is because I cannot predict which future I will live out. These paintings were inspired by the Surrealist and Pop Art art movements. These paintings are even less close up, because as an adult there is even less attention on you.
Business 21.59cmx27.94cm
This avenue is the business degree my family is rooting for me to earn. To represent this I painted myself in a business suit with the left side of my brain (the side used for more logical thinking) floating where my head would be. |
Jobless 21.59cmx27.94cm
Not having a job could very well be my future. In this painting I am wearing a Steven's Point (the college I wish to attend) purple hoodie. This represents adult me living in her past not picturing much of a future. |
Artist 21.59cmx27.94cm
This avenue is the art degree that I wish to pursue. The paint pallet, dirty smock, and right side of the brain (the side used for more for creativity) floating above my head are all clear images for artistry. |
Again the Surrealist René Magritte's influence is present in my pieces. Instead of a green apple covering the face of a man I have a side of a brain where my face should be. My cartoon style can be traced back to Roy Lichtenstein's comic style. He used comics to reveal the inanity of American culture style. However, in contrast I am illustrating my possible futures.
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Pop! by Roy Lichtenstein 1966
Sutton, Benjamin. "See Roy Lichtenstein’s Cover for Newsweek’s 1966 Pop Art Issue." Blouinartinfo Blogs. N.p., 18 Oct. 2012. Web. 2 Jan. 2016. |
Tools
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Process
I began by looking through my old magazines to find female models wearing the clothes I imagined for my pieces. This way I had a reference to see how the clothes folded and how the body posed. Then I would make a sketch based off the image. I would trace over my pencil lines with sharpie pen. Then I would simply paint within the lines with watercolor. |
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Elder
This last set of three are supposed to depict three other possible future for when I am an old lady. These images are even further zoomed out, because as you age there are less and less people to pay attention to you. You begin to realize how alone you are. The black and white filter was chosen to further the illusion of an aged Valerie.
Life
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Alone
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The three possible paths in my future are... 1. I have children and they have children. Notice the Cabbage Patch Kid that is supposed to be my granddaughter in the image on the left. 2. I am alone, husbandless, childless, with only my artwork to keep me sane. Notice the paintbrush behind my ear in the photo on the right. 3. The last possibility is that I die. This is obviously shown by my eyes being closed and my lying down in front of a tombstone. |
Death
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Inspiration
I was inspired by the photographer Cindy Sherman who specializes in self-portraits in which she dresses up like old Hollywood actresses or the stereotypes of women in films and photographs herself.
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Untitled Still #228 by Cindy Sherman
"Cindy Sherman." Art History Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2016. |
Tools
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Process Using the photo on the left as a guide. I applied eye shadow in specific areas on my face to make myself appear aged. I arranged three small pillows under my clothes. One on my chest, back, and belly to make myself appear wider and more hunched over. The final touch was putting on the wig and posing with the objects designated for each specific photo. My significant other, Jon, was the photographer for all three self portraits. |
CoyMakeup. "How to Do an Old Age Makeup." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Sept. 2014. Web. 26 July 2016.
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Challenges & Accomplishments
The most challenging self portraits to create were the Cubism inspired baby painting and the stippling teenager illustration.
Trying to get good clean lines and using up to a total of 13 different shades of color on the baby painting was probably one of the most stressful things I have done. I would forget which shade I used and I would have to repaint the section again. In the future I will be labeling the different shades of color so I don't make the same mistake again.
The stippling illustration was painstakingly slow. My reference image had so many solid black squares.
The biggest challenge was probably time management. It was summer time, no one wants to work during their break. This thought process caused quite a bit of procrastination. In spite of this I am satisfied with the work that I produced.
I consider making 12 self portraits, trying so many different mediums, art styles, and using different inspirations a major accomplishment. I think all the portraits really came together and connect as a whole with the theme of aging.
Trying to get good clean lines and using up to a total of 13 different shades of color on the baby painting was probably one of the most stressful things I have done. I would forget which shade I used and I would have to repaint the section again. In the future I will be labeling the different shades of color so I don't make the same mistake again.
The stippling illustration was painstakingly slow. My reference image had so many solid black squares.
The biggest challenge was probably time management. It was summer time, no one wants to work during their break. This thought process caused quite a bit of procrastination. In spite of this I am satisfied with the work that I produced.
I consider making 12 self portraits, trying so many different mediums, art styles, and using different inspirations a major accomplishment. I think all the portraits really came together and connect as a whole with the theme of aging.
ACT Responses
1. Rene Magritte was a Surrealist artist who is known for his disturbing, and illogical images that seemed to shock the audience. This same concept/art style can be seen in my Surrealist baby painting and in the two young adult paintings that have the half a brain hovering above them.
2. I am unsure of whether or not Rene Magritte focused on aging as I have in my pieces. His paintings were mostly of working class men in bowler caps. However, I believe if Rene Magritte was alive, he would appreciate my choice of objects artistically arrange in odd places on my canvases.
3. This is an obvious conclusion about people, but my conclusion is everybody dies. However it is the decisions you make during life that determine how that life ends and whether or not you are satisfied with it.
4. I truly focused on aging for my pieces. I chose artists and art movements that allowed me to express my ideas of aging in a visually similar way. For example being inspired by the art movements Surrealism, Cubism, and Impressionism allowed me to paint from a baby's perspective, where the world is just as colorful, bright, and unrealistic.
5. I concluded that every artist is attempting to get something across to their audience. For example Cindy Sherman wanted to address the stereotypes of women in films through dressing up and photographing. I, on the other hand, wanted to bring to light the cold, hard truth of aging and dying through dressing up as an old woman and being photographed.
2. I am unsure of whether or not Rene Magritte focused on aging as I have in my pieces. His paintings were mostly of working class men in bowler caps. However, I believe if Rene Magritte was alive, he would appreciate my choice of objects artistically arrange in odd places on my canvases.
3. This is an obvious conclusion about people, but my conclusion is everybody dies. However it is the decisions you make during life that determine how that life ends and whether or not you are satisfied with it.
4. I truly focused on aging for my pieces. I chose artists and art movements that allowed me to express my ideas of aging in a visually similar way. For example being inspired by the art movements Surrealism, Cubism, and Impressionism allowed me to paint from a baby's perspective, where the world is just as colorful, bright, and unrealistic.
5. I concluded that every artist is attempting to get something across to their audience. For example Cindy Sherman wanted to address the stereotypes of women in films through dressing up and photographing. I, on the other hand, wanted to bring to light the cold, hard truth of aging and dying through dressing up as an old woman and being photographed.