Father (to) Son
The cycles of nature can very much resemble the cycles of life. A tree takes a long time to grow, surviving harsh weather and disaster, before restarting the cycle and creating a new life. Even after the harshest winter, if it comes out on top, it can plant the new tree in it's place.
Artistic Inspiration
Monet, Water Lilies. 1919.
Monet, Landscape with Figures, Giverny. 1888.
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The inspiration for this piece was Claude Monet. The most major choices that Monet made in his work are the use of color and nature in creating a world/scene. It can be scene in his early works he uses short brushstrokes with generally unblended blocks of color, in an impressionistic style, that function to create implied lines (no definite borders around figures) and movement, imperative to nature. Nature happens to be a very common focus of Monet's paintings, such as those done in his later years at his garden in Giverny. Monet also uses color to alter mood/tone, cool tones like those in Water Lilies creating a calm tone and warm tones like those in landscape with figures creating a positive depiction of the scene around. There is a certain lack of detail in part of the painting such as the figures; the figures have a noticeable lack of line and definition. The fuzziness of features such as the face lifts focus from these traditional subjects and evens the focus between them and the landscape around them. there were principles such as the use of color and nature affecting the narrative/mood of the work that were applied directly to this piece, while other considerations such as defined line and focus of figures that were in direct and conscious contrast with Monet's work.
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The planning for this project consisted of trying to find a balance between the use of nature at a metaphor and how to use photos as a creative medium. There was the idea of mirroring trees and similar pictures to draw similarities, as well as an idea for the progression of a tree's growth being tied to someone's own growth. Also explored ideas of seasons correlating to phases in a person's life.
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Process
The process for this picture specifically started with using the clone tool to mask the flower decal on the hate and a blue overlay (set to overlay with the opacity lowered). The brightness and contrast were of course adjusted to make the lights lighter and darks deeper, also making the image slightly clearer. The hue was adjusted to that it had a more blue tint, which would only show up on the figure after it was done.
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Every picture had two layers: The original in full color on one with black and white, which had slightly higher contrast. The figure was selected off of either the color or black and white layer using the quick select tool. This selection was feathered 2-3 pixels and removed from the black and white layer so that only the figure was in color.
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Each picture was cropped in a uniform 2:3 ratio. A new ratio was created that was on top of each of the layers, which is where the nature sketches would be. Using a tablet with a small brush, hardness at around 50%, the tree was drawn on each. The trees were drawn in long, immaculate strokes that created more implied lines and movements than anything. There were generally drawn either too small or too big, and so they were selected and resized using the transform tool to be a uniform size.
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The first and last tree, a sapling, is the exact same drawing. It was drawn on the first image and then selected and copied/pasted onto the last image in the general same spot. the last step in this process is unlocking the background later of the first image and cropping it so it extended out far to the right. Each image was then flattened and copy/pasted onto this image in chronological order, with the same among of space between them. An additional layer was created on the bottom was was filled using the paint tool, filled with white.
Experimentation
There was a lot of experimentation in the drawings on the pictures. The technique of creating the trees was sketchy and was difficult to make look finished. The size was also a concern, because changing the size too much would affect the width and clarity of the lines. Leaving it was white was also a deliberate choice that was done after experimenting with colored drawings of the trees.
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Reflection
This project was a fair success. It showed a medium level of technical capability as well as a decent meaning/metaphor process. It conveyed key elements of Monet's work in a way that appears somewhat thought-out, but over lukewarm. For example the use of color, an imperative part of Monet's work, was hardly used. Color is used in emphasis, but not to alter mood, tone, meaning, etc., like it is done in Monet's work. Going back this could very easily be altered in photo shop, and should. There's also the size and placement of the second, growing tree, which makes the section appear awkward. I do like the intimacy of the size and use of real photos. The sequence of small photos almost makes it seem like a film strip, which goes hand-in-hand with the "progression of a life" feeling being created. However another problem I find the piece is how the original plan was to show a "winter" period, which the person and tree was to experience and come out of before creating a new life. Gong back this would be included in the piece.
ACT Questions
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
With the obvious connection between my work and Monet's, it's easy to identify the cause-effect relationships between color, light, form etc on my own work.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
to present historical context into a famous artist and to explain the common choices of the work. Somewhat exploring what mkaes them special in regards to the beginning of the impresionism movement.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
There was very little to be discovered during the research for htis piece. Much of the knowledge was based around the formal qualities and the creation of things like mood through them.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
To investigate the famous impressionist painter Monet, the formal qualities common in his work, and the themes/meanings common in his work as well.
With the obvious connection between my work and Monet's, it's easy to identify the cause-effect relationships between color, light, form etc on my own work.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
to present historical context into a famous artist and to explain the common choices of the work. Somewhat exploring what mkaes them special in regards to the beginning of the impresionism movement.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
There was very little to be discovered during the research for htis piece. Much of the knowledge was based around the formal qualities and the creation of things like mood through them.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
To investigate the famous impressionist painter Monet, the formal qualities common in his work, and the themes/meanings common in his work as well.
Bibliography
Baillio, joseph et al. Claude Monet. Paris, Galeries nationales, Grand Palais, 22 September 2010. Print.
Brettell, Richard. Post-Impressionists. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago and New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1987, p. 111-12.
Brettell, Richard. Post-Impressionists. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago and New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1987, p. 111-12.