Illustration (Positive)
Title: Agricultural Innovations
Size: 28cm x 36cm
Medium: Illustrations
Completion: March 2019
Size: 28cm x 36cm
Medium: Illustrations
Completion: March 2019
Exhibition Text
"Agricultural Innovations" is a one-point perspective illustration, inspired by Van Gogh's "Farmhouse in Wheat Field" and "Café Terrace at Night". This painting shows exactly what the title says, "Agricultural Innovations" which have been a prominent part of society from the beginning of our existence. Ever since the creation of the first farmland, agriculture has continued to expand. This illustration captures the beauty of agriculture.
"Farmhouse in Wheat Field" (1888) by Vicent van Gogh retrieved from https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/farmhouse-in-a-wheatfield/bQE-6vIUHp9jGQ
Technique One-point perspective is a way to portray a single perspective in an artwork. This is done with the use of a horizon line, and a vanishing point. In my illustration i used this to portray the peace and beauty of farmland in the most realistic way possible. However, I used a impressionist style with color pencils to show color and movement which adds balance to the piece.
Experimentation This piece had a very straightforward plan and for the most part, this plan was followed. Instead of straight line, I used a lot freehanded lines which is prominent in the road. I did this to show the natural aspects of these lands. Dirt roads are more often then not, jagged. I also used many different colors as Vincent van Gogh used in "Cafe Terrace at Night". Several colors can creat one aspect, and this adds to the reality of the piece.
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Inspiration/Research Vincent van Gogh was a dutch painter, who did so in many different movements: Realism, Impressionism Post-Impressionism, Pointillism: just to name a few. In this piece, "Farmhouse in Wheat Field" he focuses on a modern, yet post impressionist style, at which is done with a one-point perspective drawing. One-point perspective is quite appealing, and combines a realistic feel to the artwork. You can see shadows against places of higher contrast. Also, the specific way of creating this which involves precision, adds flow and unity to all the aspects of the painting. Now, the house feels connected with the trees. I attempted to use these aspects in my painting, "The Blood Waterfall". I wanted to combined the one-point perspective drawing, with a impressionist style of color as Van Gogh did. Impressionism is very often described as using small amounts of color, to create a overall picture, while painting. I decided try and portray this style using color pencils, for a more modern approach.
"Café Terrace at Night" (1888) by Vincent van Gogh retrieved from https://www.impressionists.org/cafe-terrace-at-night.jsp
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Process The process of creating this positive illustration was very similar to the negative illustration. First, I had to measure the illustration board in order to find the right place for my horizon line, and then to find the middle of the horizon line for my vanishing point. I then measured another line to find out where my road would be located. After the road was located, I erased that line, and free handed a new line to create the path of a dirt road, with is not definitely straight.
I then created the farmhouse and barn which were both relatively simple. All I had to do first was create two rectangular prisms in the place I wanted these structures to be. This shape would be lined up back to the vanishing point which creates the "one-point perspective" drawing, because I am able to see one side more than the other, and some sides are hidden by the perspective and therefore do not have to be drawn. The fencing was created ragged intentionally to signify how long these farms have been the backbone of society. These fences were created by freehand also, which signifies the natural feel of farmlands. I also added two large trees which added balance to the piece, and allowed a shadow to be cast, which then in turn would create a more reality capturing feel. When coloring this piece, I made many innovations when using the impressionist style of painting in an illustration using color pencils. I erased lines that would stand out through the lighter colors such as yellow, orange, and green. I used a mixture of forest green, army green, and butter yellow to create the grass. The farmhouse on the left was created with a snow white, a wood brown, a wood brown, and a powder blue. The other farmhouse was again a snow white, contrasted against a deep ruby red. The trees were made with brown, both regular and walnut, and of course a small amount of lime green mixed with forest green. The pathway was a mixture of honey orange, tawny brown, and a small amount of daffodil yellow. |
Planning I decided that I wanted to create an illustration that showed agriculture and signified the importance it has in our society. One-point perspective seemed to be the best style to portray this do to the realistic image it creates, and the landscape it allows the artist to work with. It allows the artist to explore with color and position while still creating the realism.
Barns are a very common image when you think of a farm, but it's often not the truest form of the farm. When driving in rural area, you see a lot more farmhouses with silos and crops on one side, and the barn is normally somewhere close. I attempted to portray this in the most realistic way possible and I would say it was executed well. I also added the placement of a few trees which created balance. I had no true plan for the color, I really just had to experiment with different colors to see what created the most realistic feeling while using the impressionist style. All colors were used in this piece: from red to purple. This is to incorporate the aspect of beauty and peacefulness that farmlands possess. |
Reflection
Creating this piece was fun, and the process gave me a lot more experience with the impressionist artwork process. I believe that throughout this piece, the impressionist style is shown well through a one point perspective illustration. From the mixture of forest green and peacock green in the grass, or the tomato red and Merlot red in one of the farmhouses. The only true thing I would like to improve upon is the road, and the style and colors blended to create it. I used many browns and oranges to create the road, however the road seems rushed, with huge lines of mixed colors. I believe that the brown that I used covered it up nicely and overall, added balance to the piece. It seems like the road flows nicely with the rest of the illustration, I just wish I executed it with more impressionist influence.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
Both inspiration pieces embody the one-point perspective. "Cafe Terrace at Night" gave me this idea of impressionist style and how to use it correctly, but instead, done with color pencils. "Farmhouse In Wheat Field" was referenced a lot in my artwork. The farmhous, trees, grass, and again the impressionist style.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
I decided to use these inspiration pieces as large reference points for color and some aspect to use when attempting to add balance to the piece.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
People are often geared towards creating advancements without looking at the past for anything but mistakes. The past contains beauty and even knowledge which can help improve advancements to be sustainable.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
My inspiration pieces are centered around two styles: one-point perspective, and impressionism, which combine to create realistic beauty which compliments the landscape or scenery that these pieces embody.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I made the inference that Van Gogh experiment with color in many different ways. Throughout his art career, he has often used the impressionist and post-impressionist idea. It seems like the number of colors he uses suggests his experimental tendencies with color are prominent.
Both inspiration pieces embody the one-point perspective. "Cafe Terrace at Night" gave me this idea of impressionist style and how to use it correctly, but instead, done with color pencils. "Farmhouse In Wheat Field" was referenced a lot in my artwork. The farmhous, trees, grass, and again the impressionist style.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
I decided to use these inspiration pieces as large reference points for color and some aspect to use when attempting to add balance to the piece.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
People are often geared towards creating advancements without looking at the past for anything but mistakes. The past contains beauty and even knowledge which can help improve advancements to be sustainable.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
My inspiration pieces are centered around two styles: one-point perspective, and impressionism, which combine to create realistic beauty which compliments the landscape or scenery that these pieces embody.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I made the inference that Van Gogh experiment with color in many different ways. Throughout his art career, he has often used the impressionist and post-impressionist idea. It seems like the number of colors he uses suggests his experimental tendencies with color are prominent.
Reference Page
Cafe Terrace At Night"." Cafe Terrace at Night, 1888 by Vincent Van Gogh. Accessed March 18, 2019. https://www.impressionists.org/cafe-terrace-at-night.jsp.
"Farmhouse in a Wheatfield - Vincent Van Gogh - Google Arts & Culture." Google. Accessed March 18, 2019. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/farmhouse-in-a-wheatfield/bQE-6vIUHp9jGQ.
"Farmhouse in a Wheatfield - Vincent Van Gogh - Google Arts & Culture." Google. Accessed March 18, 2019. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/farmhouse-in-a-wheatfield/bQE-6vIUHp9jGQ.