Art 116 Painting: February 2015

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Create an allegorical painting

The assignment:

Create an allegorical painting based a theme(s) below:
Industry/Environment
Beauty/Vanity
Abundance/Waste
Justice
Envy

.......or pitch an idea

Allegory defined: (Webster)

The expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also : an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression.

Allegories are similar to metaphors: in both the author/artist uses one subject to represent another, seemingly unrelated, subject. However, unlike metaphors, which are generally short and contained within a few lines or visual statements, an allegory extends its representation over the course of an entire story, novel, or poem or painting. (sourced)

Allegory National Gallery (London)

An allegory is the description of a subject in the guise of another subject. An allegorical painting might include figures emblematic of different emotional states of mind – for example envy or love – or personifying other abstract concepts, such as sight, glory, beauty, Revolution, or France. These are called allegorical figures. The interpretation of an allegory therefore depends first on the identification of such figures, but even then the meaning can remain elusive.

Allegorical subjects were frequently painted from the Renaissance until around 1800, although they were probably most often used in medals and engraved frontispieces to books. Single allegorical figures were also painted, sometimes in series, each figure representing, for example, one of the Liberal Arts or the Virtues.

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/a/allegory.html

Examples:

http://www.metmuseum.org/search-results?ft=allegory&x=0&y=0

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/search/allegory/3

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/harmen-steenwyck-still-life-an-allegory-of-the-vanities-of-human-life

Composition:
Use a defined compositional model such as, pyramid, rule of thirds, symmetrical, asymmetrical or a combination of several models. The model should advance the idea of the picture.

Thumbnails:
Due next class complete five solid thumbnails in the scale and proportion of the finished painting.

Size:
Use a large scale canvas.

Additional info.:
http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/trippack/center_selfguides/downloads/allegory_comparison.pdf

When you're learning, you should feel uncomfortable!

https://hbr.org/
Harvard_Business_Review

Being a beginner at something can feel awkward and embarrassing, especially if you’re used to being an expert. But those feelings are the inescapable growth pains that come from developing and improving. To get used to the discomfort, know that it’s brave to be a beginner. Exposing your weaknesses and trying new things takes courage. You can make the challenge a bit easier by looking for learning situations where the stakes are low — maybe a class where you’re not expected to be an expert or you don’t know anyone else. If it helps, tell fellow participants that you may mess up whatever you’re about to attempt. Your willingness to take risks may inspire others to do the same. And whatever you do, don’t stop learning. Keep pushing yourself, especially in the areas where you are accomplished, so you can get even better. If you are willing to feel embarrassment and shame, and even to fail, there’s no end to what you can do.

Adapted from “Learning Is Supposed to Feel Uncomfortable,” by Peter Bregman.

Art 116 Painting

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

An American in London Paintings by MARC DENNIS