Hierarchy of Painting, Animal Portraits

George Stubbs, late 1700's

According to About.com, "At some point during Academic Art's heyday--probably roughly around the time that George Stubbs' (English, 1724-1806) horse paintings became wildly popular--it became necessary to add a new genre to the Hierarchy: Animal Painting. Why is Animal Painting ranked so far down the scale? There are two possibilities here. The first may have to do with its late inclusion in the Hierarchy of Genres. The second, and more likely, is that while this was portraiture, it wasn't Portraiture-portraiture. In other words, it failed to meet the call for portraits to be of "God's finest creation," the human being. "  Animal painting is awesome, even though it is ranked five on the hierarchy of painting.  It is a special skill to naturally depict animals, fur, scales, feathers, etc., it is so different from painting humans.  Enjoy!

Style and Eva Hesse

Eva Hesse, Hang Up, 1966

Style by definition means, "a particular, distinctive, or characteristic mode."  According to Kit White, "Style is the by product of saying what has to be said in the most appropriate way a maker can say it."  It seems to me that each artist develops a certain style over time that makes them easily identifiable to the public.  I can easily point out a Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, or even Thomas Kinkade.  The way they capture something, the colors they use, the brushstrokes, etc., all become clues to who the artist is of a particular artwork.  In my art history classes, the teacher purposely identifies characteristics of the artwork that is prevalent in much of the artist's work.  Do I have a style?  Slowly I am developing one, but with the experimentation I am doing it is difficult to pin a style on me yet.  Enjoy!

Oil Paint and Claude Monet

Claude Monet

Oil paint is an interesting medium to work in.  I am currently doing a landscape in oil paint and I am enjoying learning which colors are opaque, translucent or transparent.  This is important for me because I am directly painting over another landscape I did years ago.  The colors that are opaque are doing a great job covering up the underneath painting.  While the translucent and transparent colors are not covering the underneath painting that well, so I am combining these colors with more opaque colors to improve there covering power.  According to Wikipedia, "Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. Oil paints have been used in Europe since the 12th century for simple decoration, but were not widely adopted as an artistic medium until the early 15th century."  Enjoy!

Ten Cent Comics and Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith

Today at my local comic book store, they had thousands of back issue serial comics for 10 cents each.  While I bought some of my favorite superheros, I also looked for comics that had interesting and different artwork on it's pages.  The artwork of Ben Templesmith (see picture), a comic book artist, is different from most artists.  His artworks tends to lend to the darker side of life, with horror and unusual crime dramas.  But his pictures still tell a story, with or without words, and different is usually good especially in art.  So today I was able to get my favorite superhero, Thor, and some interesting artwork between the pages of a comic book.  Enjoy!

All Art Is Political??

Kasimir Malevich

According to Kit White, "all art is political...the world your work describes is the world that you, as a maker, promote."  I disagree with the first part of this statement that "all art is political."  By definition, political means pertaining to or involving the state or its government.  Many things in life are outside of the government.  To say that the art an artist creates will "always have political implications" is casting the net to broad and is being a little paranoid that the government is in everything.  I would agree that my artwork describes my point of view, but my point of view is not fenced in by the politics of the time nor defined by it.  Freedom of the mind, is the greatest gift any artist could have, for we are more than those governing us.  Enjoy!

Shout Out to Monika Baer

Monika Baer, 1998

I recently saw an exhibit of work by the contemporary artist Monika Baer.  Her works combined abstract with representational, and showed great skill at handling the medium of oil paint.  What I thought was a buffet of color, were her "Mozart paintings (see picture)."  According to the Art Institute, "this series, the Mozart Paintings, expanded on her interest in the canvas as theater set that had developed in her student years, taken to an extreme, almost cinematic scale. Highly stylized and rendered in elaborate rococo detail, these paintings act as a foil for the more abstracted work that would follow."  Enjoy!

Hierarchy of Painting, Landscape

Jacob van Ruisdael, 1653

The first pure landscape painting did not occur until 1500 BCE in frescos in Minoan Greece.  Landscape paintings can be of our natural surroundings, or cityscapes done in any medium.  According to about.com, "Landscape Painting is ranked fourth in the Hierarchy of Paintings. While lovely to look at, landscapes require no human figures and somewhat less technical ability to produce than do the first three genres on the list."  I would have to disagree with about.com that landscapes "require less technical ability."  Painting rivers, mountains, trees, etc. that surrounds us requires the artist to depict many objects, from hard surfaces, to flowing surfaces, to soft surfaces, etc.  Landscapes and scenery have fascinated humans for thousands of years, I think that it is this fascination with natural landscape that drives the artist to depict it with vigor, or what some may call ease.  Enjoy!

Southern Song Dynasty Art

Southern Song Dynasty, China

In China, the Southern Song Dynasty went from 960 to 1279.  According to Wikipedia, "Painting during the Song Dynasty reached a new level of sophistication with further development of landscape painting; immeasurable distances were conveyed through the use of blurred outlines, mountain contours disappearing into the mist, and impressionistic treatment of natural phenomena (see picture)."  I am fascinated on how China was way ahead of the European art scene when it came to landscape paintings.  China has an interesting topography, with lowlands and mountains.  With the views these artists had, it must have been a great inspiration to them.  I know that when I see a beautiful landscape before me I either take a picture of it or do some plein air artwork on the spot.  Enjoy!

Wildlife Art

Diane Whitehead

There is something special about animals, so much so, that artists have been depicting animals for at least 25,000 years, starting in prehistoric cave drawings.  Now we have a whole genre of art called wildlife art, which is used to depict the natural world around us.  Animals are all around us, in our parks, in our neighborhood and even in our homes.  For thousands of years artists have been drawn to depicting our furry and not so furry friends.  According to Wikipedia, "Wildlife art is one of humanity's earliest art forms, dating back to prehistoric cave paintings such as those found at the grotto of Lascaux in France.  Wildlife art is the most widely recognized of human art forms as its depiction of the natural world, and the wildlife inhabiting it is a universal theme covering all cultures on all continents."  People of the earth all unite to represent the animal kingdom.  Enjoy!

Learning to Draw Perspective

One point, two point and three point perspective

Mastering perspective drawing is critical for depicting space in your artwork, if your work requires a depiction of space.  For some art, learning perspective is not necessary.  But just in case you do need some perspective in your artwork, the following steps should help.  (1)  Establish the horizon line (your eye level). (2)  Establish the vertical height of the object closest to you.  (3)  Draw lines radiating from the vertical height to a point on the horizon line.  These points on the horizon line are the vanishing point(s).  (4)  Fill in all other vertical elements and make sure all horizontal elements project back to the vanishing point(s).  Enjoy!

Shout Out to Eduardo Kac

Eduardo Kac

According to Wikipedia, "Kac considers himself a "transgenic artist," or "bio artist", using biotechnology and genetics to create provocative works that concomitantly explore scientific techniques and critique them.  Alba, the rabbit (see picture) was the name of a genetically modified "glowing" rabbit created as an artistic work by contemporary artist Eduardo Kac, produced in collaboration with French geneticist Louis-Marie Houdebine.  Houdebine used the GFP gene found in the jellyfish, that fluoresces green when exposed to blue light. When Alba, the rabbit, was exposed to such light, she would literally glow green. "  At a recent artist talk by Kac, he assured us that putting the GFP gene into the rabbit's DNA, causing Alba to glow green, in no way harmed the animal.  Kac has also gone on to create other "glowing" animals, in what he calls "bio art."  Enjoy!

Pieter Bruegel and Genre Painting

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Peasant Dance, 1568

According to About.com, "genre paintings were scenes from everyday life. They contained people, animals, touches of still lifes, bits of landscape (although interior scenes were more common) or any combination thereof. They were admired for the skills artists employed and were occasionally (possibly unintentionally) humorous, but they didn't command the respect that History Painting or Portraiture did."  Genre Paintings were ranked third on the hierarchy of paintings from the Italian Renaissance.  For me, genre paintings brought artwork that was more accessible to all classes of people.  By depicting everyday life, one can relate to the paintings from one's personal life experiences.  Pieter Bruegel the Elder's, The Peasant Dance, gives us a glimpse of life during the 1560's and a moment of joy.  Enjoy!

Albert Bierstadt and Mediation

Albert Bierstadt, Among the Sierra Nevada, 1868

To mediate means "to bring about by serving as intermediary."  The experience of most things is mediated.  According to Kit White, "the majority of information that comes to us has been shaped, edited, and distorted...Primary experience often takes a backseat to multiple levels of intervention...and art is, itself, a form of mediation."  It is true that most of us are unable to experience firsthand all the things this world has to offer.  But is it a bad thing that experiences are mediated through art?  Not at all, for many of us cannot travel the world to see it's wonders, but through paintings like Bierstadt's (see picture), we are able to experience the beauty of nature, even though we may never travel to Nevada to see his inspiration.  Art, though it mediates experience, when viewing it can be an experience all in itself.  Enjoy!

Student Exhibition, BFA

April Jin Son, Mystic Party, 2013
from student exhibition

Recently I visited a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) students exhibition.  Exhibiting was about 85 students that will be getting their BFA this Fall.  The artwork had much diversity and originality.  Many media were present:  printmaking, oil, acrylic, watercolor, ceramic, sculpture, installation, video, etc.  Artworks went from representational landscapes, to abstract, to conceptual ("Conceptual art is art in which the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns").  Overall it was an excellent exhibit, boasting both originality, creativity, and skill.  Enjoy!

Finished A Series Of Paintings

Alice Cook,  Outside of time #3, 2013

Just finished Outside of time #3, of a three painting series.  Mediums, acrylic and collage.  I enjoyed painting the figure, especially since painting figures are new to me.  For the flowers, I bought a dozen roses and photographed them.  After printing them, I collaged them onto the canvas.  The watch faces are from the other two paintings in this series.  While I feel I pushed myself in this series, I am looking forward to further development of skill and creativity.  Enjoy!

Hierarchy of Paintings, Portraits

Anthony van Dyck, Triple Portrait of King Charles
1635-1636

According to About.com, "Portraiture, also known as "portrait painting," was the second highest genre in the academic hierarchy. Academy students underwent a rigorous course of instruction to master this skill, spending years first drawing from from plaster casts and then copying established artists' portraits before finally working with live models. "  Portrait paintings were first done only by rich and elite patrons, as the years passed middle-class patrons also commissioned these paintings.  Even today, portrait painting is still done by governments, corporations, groups, clubs and individuals.  I find that portrait paintings, compared to portrait photographs, allows the artist to take the essence of the person and put it into the painting, it is more than just reproducing how they look.  Enjoy!

Thomas Kinkade and Observation

Thomas Kinkade

Clear sight makes clear art.  According to Kit White, "Observation lies at the heart of the art process.  Whether your art derives from mimicking nature or extrapolating a mental construct, your powers of observation are critical...Try to see what is before you, not what you think you see or want to see."  I would agree that observing things around us, without distorting them, is a fundamental tool.  Once you are able to observe and describe what you see, then you will be able to take off in any direction that your imagination takes you.  Enjoy!

Drawing 2, Mixed Media Project

Alice Cook

Starting this week in my Drawing 2 class, we begin a mixed media project.  Part one of the project requires that I find and photograph a flat surface that has stains, cracks, spots, etc.  I found an interesting patch of concrete in a stairwell and photographed it (see picture).  Part two requires making several concept drawings, before I move onto part three, the final drawing.  The final drawing will involve pressing a textured surface into the gesso and applying watercolor, colored pencil and/or pastels.  I think this will be my favorite project of this class, since I enjoy mixed media.  Once the final critique is over, I will be able to post these projects on the blog.  Enjoy!

Titian and History Painting

Titian, Diana and Actaeon, 1556 - 1559

According to Wikipedia, "History Painting, is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than artistic style. History paintings usually depict a moment in a narrative story, rather than a specific and static subject, such as a portrait."  An example of a history painting is Titian's, Diana and Actaeon (see picture), finished in 1556–1559, it is considered amongst Titian's greatest works. It portrays the moment in which the goddess Diana meets Actaeon.  I myself have never painted a history painting, but it does sound intriguing.  Enjoy!

Vilppu and figure drawing

Vilppu

According to Kit White, "when laying out a figure drawing, try to do it with a series of interlocking ovals."  I would disagree with White in regards to drawing with interlocking ovals.  I have gone through most of the twelve chapters of Vilppu's figure drawing videos and his techniques make more sense.  Vilppu starts with gesture drawing to capture the action.  Then moving to box forms of the pelvic griddle, knee and elbow joint, along with cylinders for the extremities and sphere for the chest area.  Basically it is gesture, to volume, to box, to cylinders, to spheres.  Then Vilppu emphasizes knowing the anatomy of the muscles and protruding bones.  White's techniques of drawing interlocking ellipses is simplistic and will not give you an accurate drawing of the human figure.  Many of Vilppu's videos (shortened length) can be seen on YouTube.  Enjoy!

Hierarchy of Paintings

Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii,
1784

During the 1600's a ranking system was developed by the art academies that determined the importance of the subject matter of a painting.  This ranking system, based on traditions of Greek and Roman art established during the Italian Renaissance, was used by the academies as a basis for awarding prizes and scholarships as well as spaces in their exhibitions. It also had a significant impact on the perceived monetary value of an artwork, in the sale rooms of auction houses. The academies ranked the genres as follows (from most valuable to least valuable): (1) History Painting (see picture); (2) Portraits; (3) Genre Painting; (4) Landscapes; (5) Still Life.  Enjoy!

Philip Guston And The Unpredictable

Philip Guston, Head and Bottle, 1975

Philip Guston once stated, "You work to divest yourself of what you know.  I want to end with something that will baffle me for some time."  To divest means "to rid of or free from."  Guston freed us from the way things should look and took our imaginations to where anything is possible.  According to Wikipedia, " In the late 1960s Guston helped to lead a transition from abstract expressionism to neo-expressionism in painting, abandoning the so-called "pure abstraction" of abstract expressionism in favor of more cartoonish renderings of various personal symbols and objects."  Viewing art can be a learning experience, as we free our minds from preconceived ideas.  Enjoy!