Title: Froth in a Sea of Leaves
Size: 30.48 x 30.48 cm
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Date of Completion: 11 - 4 -20
Exhibition Text:
This piece was meant to represent a blurry or vague image that could be seen by a person. This does not necessarily mean through an actual visual perception. It could perspective that has changed or been warped through a person's imagination either looking at how it could be unique, or someone's imagination trying to visualize what a vague memory could be.
Original Reference
Artist Inspirations
Claude Monet was my primary artist inspiration for this pierce. His use of small strokes of varying colors in order to generate the texture and shape of the leaves is initially what I wanted to include with the piece. Also his use of blending the colors with his art was exceptional, accurately showing the difference in light in the picture, while still maintaining his blurry impressionism art style. I wanted to attempt to replicate his style through the use of different shades of colors, which worked albeit to a low extent. The tree is the strongest example of my use of shading while still keeping a slightly blurry tree, with hard to see details, as the tree itself focuses more on the blending rather than the details of the bark. I would attempt to perform a similar style through points as well as tiny strokes.
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Vincent van Gogh is my secondary inspiration that I began to look at when I created my critical error. His use of movement throughout the piece grabbed the attentions of viewers through its unique use of form. Rather than leave that massive blank of deep green, I decided to make use of the space implementing something similar into the piece. I decided to attempt to include a minor replication of his use of movement. My attempt at this can be seen with the light green/white strokes that are spread across the dark green shade. It causes the viewers eyes to move across the piece, and overall continues "off the canvas" on the left side of the tree. It made the space have a little more meaning than just a replication of dark shaded spots behind the leaves, and I felt that it helped make use of my mistake, instead of leaving it as a complete blemish on the work.
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Planning
I had intended for the project to be an impressionism piece that would be a seemingly blurred perspective for the viewer. The piece consisted of about an eighth of the original photo's size that was located in the upper center of the photograph. In terms of planning how I intended to complete the project, I wanted to split the process into 2 major components and 1 small component.
The Tree
The tree was one of the major components of the artwork. I initially wanted to include small line strokes that would serve as the crevices in the wood, but I decided to scrap that overall in exchange for a smooth blending to further connect with the blurry aspect of the image. The color overall included varying shades of brown, but some shades included a little more red or green. The red shades would be used for bright shades, while the green shade would most likely outline the area between the tree and the leaves. I had initially outlined where a shade of brown would be placed on the painting, being darker towards the left, brighter towards the right.
The tree was one of the major components of the artwork. I initially wanted to include small line strokes that would serve as the crevices in the wood, but I decided to scrap that overall in exchange for a smooth blending to further connect with the blurry aspect of the image. The color overall included varying shades of brown, but some shades included a little more red or green. The red shades would be used for bright shades, while the green shade would most likely outline the area between the tree and the leaves. I had initially outlined where a shade of brown would be placed on the painting, being darker towards the left, brighter towards the right.
The Leaves
The leaves were the second major component of the piece, and overall the portion that would take the longest to complete. I would outline the shades of green in order to know where all the leaves were present, as well as when a different shade of green would need to be used. This portion of the work would also require the most precision, as some areas of the leaves were bordering areas of the background, and would need to avoid most color. Mostly different shades of green were used, but sometimes a shade mixed with green and brown were used if the leaves were close to the tree.
The leaves were the second major component of the piece, and overall the portion that would take the longest to complete. I would outline the shades of green in order to know where all the leaves were present, as well as when a different shade of green would need to be used. This portion of the work would also require the most precision, as some areas of the leaves were bordering areas of the background, and would need to avoid most color. Mostly different shades of green were used, but sometimes a shade mixed with green and brown were used if the leaves were close to the tree.
The Background
The background is the minor component of the piece. The sketch is relatively empty because the background represents the white areas in the photograph. These areas varied from being part of the cloudy sky in the background, or leaves far and bright enough to be considered as part of the background. Due to the nature of this portion, most of the colors here were white or white blended in with a very low amount of green.
The background is the minor component of the piece. The sketch is relatively empty because the background represents the white areas in the photograph. These areas varied from being part of the cloudy sky in the background, or leaves far and bright enough to be considered as part of the background. Due to the nature of this portion, most of the colors here were white or white blended in with a very low amount of green.
Process and Experimentation
For the first portion of this piece, I started by drawing a thin outline similar to that of the sketches across the canvas. This outline, while helping me, would still be erasable throughout the process, while helping me remember the areas where I intended to use a different shade of colors. I also invested in beginning the base colors of the leaves, but this also proved to be the stage where I made my most critical error. Instead of doing small strokes that would leave small white spots, I created large large, complete strokes that left no room for white spots. The reason why these white spots are crucial is because they represent some of the light that is shining through the leaves in the photograph. Because of this, the dark green looks like a layer that is covering the tree in some areas instead of providing shade in that area. Some brown lines were included in between the shades of green to represent branches being slightly covered by the leaves.
I likely could of avoided this situation if I chose a different, slower approach similar to what I performed with the lighter shade of leaves. Small strokes and points left a small amount of white to represent the light that shines in between the leaves. This deep shade of green occurred because I continued to believe that I would accurately be able to shade in the portion of white and green to represent the light by itself. Leaving minimal white to represent the background would of been the more efficient option rather than continuing on the assumption that I could force a lighter shade of white and green on a heavy layer of deep green.
I likely could of avoided this situation if I chose a different, slower approach similar to what I performed with the lighter shade of leaves. Small strokes and points left a small amount of white to represent the light that shines in between the leaves. This deep shade of green occurred because I continued to believe that I would accurately be able to shade in the portion of white and green to represent the light by itself. Leaving minimal white to represent the background would of been the more efficient option rather than continuing on the assumption that I could force a lighter shade of white and green on a heavy layer of deep green.
The second portion of this piece involved starting on the colors within the tree. I colored the very left side of the tree using a mix of brown and black to make an extremely dark tone. Then, using the shades that I made by mixing brown and white/black respectively, I progressively used lighter shades as I moved farther right. This allowed for a relatively smooth transition between the colors, generating a rather pleasant shade. The blending used for the tree is most likely the strongest point of the piece considering how well it turned out.
For the final portion it was a partial review on some of the colors in the previous stages. I went over some of the colors present in the leaves and left a little less white and brown showing in between them. I also attempted to work with my critical error in the first portion of the process. I added strokes of green, and topped them with white within the dark green layer, and had them in a motion that would make the viewer's eyes moving around it. This is part of the inspiration I acquired from Vincent van Gogh, because it allowed for me to make use of that large green space. While still not as pleasant as I intended it to be, it still made the error a little less of a burden.
Reflection
Overall, this project was a pretty far leap from what I intended it to be. It still partially completes my goal of being a blurry piece, to give the impression that it is something. However, the methods and experimentation throughout the process lead to a large error that overall impacted how the rest of the final would be completed. If I had practiced how I intended to form a blurry product prior to development of the final, I may have been able to create something more pleasant and accurate to my original intention. However I will say that despite the large flaw in this piece I continued to work and managed to create something unique, and implement a technique used by one of my inspirations, albeit to a lesser extent. If I were to redo this project, I would probably prepare the methods of painting as mentioned prior, as well as practice developing the colors used for the background, as they are hard to distinct from just simple white blanks in the middle of the piece. In general, while this work could of been better, if I hadn't experimented, I would not have learned to avoid that mistake in some other work, nor would I have tried to include something new with it.
Overall, this project was a pretty far leap from what I intended it to be. It still partially completes my goal of being a blurry piece, to give the impression that it is something. However, the methods and experimentation throughout the process lead to a large error that overall impacted how the rest of the final would be completed. If I had practiced how I intended to form a blurry product prior to development of the final, I may have been able to create something more pleasant and accurate to my original intention. However I will say that despite the large flaw in this piece I continued to work and managed to create something unique, and implement a technique used by one of my inspirations, albeit to a lesser extent. If I were to redo this project, I would probably prepare the methods of painting as mentioned prior, as well as practice developing the colors used for the background, as they are hard to distinct from just simple white blanks in the middle of the piece. In general, while this work could of been better, if I hadn't experimented, I would not have learned to avoid that mistake in some other work, nor would I have tried to include something new with it.
Compare and Contrast
Compare
- Both pieces attempt to create a blurry image through the use of small strokes for the leaves
- Both pieces use varying shades of green and brown for their respective components
- The pieces both attempt to convey motion in the image
- Weeping Willow does this with primarily downward strokes throughout most of the image
- The project attempts to do this with the dark green zone present in the picture, using the green/white strokes.
Contrast
- Weeping Willow is more reliant on the differing colors. The different shades of green and brown are used more frequently and in different areas compared to my work.
- Weeping Willow maintains its pattern of downward strokes throughout the majority of the piece, the only real exception being the bottom of the work
- Weeping Willow is much more consistent with its blurry impressionist imagery. The only real examples of this in my work is through the use of the lighter shade of leaves and the branches inbetween them.
- Both pieces attempt to create a blurry image through the use of small strokes for the leaves
- Both pieces use varying shades of green and brown for their respective components
- The pieces both attempt to convey motion in the image
- Weeping Willow does this with primarily downward strokes throughout most of the image
- The project attempts to do this with the dark green zone present in the picture, using the green/white strokes.
Contrast
- Weeping Willow is more reliant on the differing colors. The different shades of green and brown are used more frequently and in different areas compared to my work.
- Weeping Willow maintains its pattern of downward strokes throughout the majority of the piece, the only real exception being the bottom of the work
- Weeping Willow is much more consistent with its blurry impressionist imagery. The only real examples of this in my work is through the use of the lighter shade of leaves and the branches inbetween them.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
My inspiration determined my original intention to create a "blurry" impressionism piece. Claude Monet inspired me to try working with the smaller strokes in order to generate the light you would usually see in between the leaves. Van Gogh helped influence using my mistake in order to create something more unique and still working in favor of impressionism through the use of movement in the artwork.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
His work is mostly consistent with blurry pieces where you can tell what an object is, but cannot see it clearly. He inspired me to perform this through the use of colors as well as movement. It helped me when considering the colors for the tree, as well as creating the areas surrounding the branches with leaves.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that art works in a variety of ways and can be used in ways to describe a person's sense of perception. In a way, the tree seen in Weeping Willow can be seen as unique in Monet's eyes as he generated a concept of what makes trees unique to him, and he shares that perspective with other people. It's not that perspective has to be a literal thing to see; it can be something thought-provoking and something that changes common things into something "unique".
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
When I was considering my central idea for what I wanted to do with this piece, I mostly wanted to explore the idea of perception. Specifically through the use of imagination, we can create visuals that make something common see unique to us, its how we look at these things that we can determine how we feel about them. If something is considered "blurry", many people would consider investigating it, as it sparks their sense of curiosity.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
When doing my research, I also considered how Monet and Van Gogh used their techniques in order to develop their perspectives. Specifically their use of movement not only allowed for people to see the curious, blurry image. But it was similar to putting viewers through the first person perspective of the artist themselves, and how they looked at their art. It was like a definite way of sharing perspectives between people.
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
My inspiration determined my original intention to create a "blurry" impressionism piece. Claude Monet inspired me to try working with the smaller strokes in order to generate the light you would usually see in between the leaves. Van Gogh helped influence using my mistake in order to create something more unique and still working in favor of impressionism through the use of movement in the artwork.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
His work is mostly consistent with blurry pieces where you can tell what an object is, but cannot see it clearly. He inspired me to perform this through the use of colors as well as movement. It helped me when considering the colors for the tree, as well as creating the areas surrounding the branches with leaves.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that art works in a variety of ways and can be used in ways to describe a person's sense of perception. In a way, the tree seen in Weeping Willow can be seen as unique in Monet's eyes as he generated a concept of what makes trees unique to him, and he shares that perspective with other people. It's not that perspective has to be a literal thing to see; it can be something thought-provoking and something that changes common things into something "unique".
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
When I was considering my central idea for what I wanted to do with this piece, I mostly wanted to explore the idea of perception. Specifically through the use of imagination, we can create visuals that make something common see unique to us, its how we look at these things that we can determine how we feel about them. If something is considered "blurry", many people would consider investigating it, as it sparks their sense of curiosity.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
When doing my research, I also considered how Monet and Van Gogh used their techniques in order to develop their perspectives. Specifically their use of movement not only allowed for people to see the curious, blurry image. But it was similar to putting viewers through the first person perspective of the artist themselves, and how they looked at their art. It was like a definite way of sharing perspectives between people.
Bibliography
Gogh, Vincent van. “Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night. Saint Rémy, June 1889: MoMA.” The Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/collection/works/79802. - Source of "Starry Night" image
“Weeping Willow - Claude Monet - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, artsandculture.google.com/asset/weeping-willow-claude-monet/DgFwKpeOBWqGHA.
- Source of "Weeping Willow" image
Gogh, Vincent van. “Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night. Saint Rémy, June 1889: MoMA.” The Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/collection/works/79802. - Source of "Starry Night" image
“Weeping Willow - Claude Monet - Google Arts & Culture.” Google, Google, artsandculture.google.com/asset/weeping-willow-claude-monet/DgFwKpeOBWqGHA.
- Source of "Weeping Willow" image