Name: Trayshaun J.
Size: 92 cm x 92 cm
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Completion: April 2019
Size: 92 cm x 92 cm
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Completion: April 2019
Exhibition Text
This is a self portrait inspired by Johannes Vermeer's painting "Girl with the Pearl Earring" and his Baroque painting style. This painting puts a emphasis on shadows rather than significant facial features, and creates a smooth texture, rather than a rough one.
"Girl With The Pearl Earring" by retrieved from www.johannes-vermeer.org/.
"Prades, the Village" by Joan Miro retrieved from https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/2933
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Inspiration/Research Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter during the Dutch Golden Age. He was popular for his Baroque style paintings and portraits of the domestic life of the middle-class. "Girl with the Pearl Earring" was created in 1665 and truly captures the baroque style of painting. Using different colors and blends to create a very realistic portrait, while removing texture from the face. This style can be seen in my painting by the contrast of color in the lighter skin tones on the left side of my face, and the darker skin tones of the right. I additionally used a lighter color in the background to contrast against the darker tones of my skin. In "Girl with the Pearl Earring" Vermeer uses a black background, to contrast against the lighter colors of the woman's skin. I did this conversely using a lighter grey, as stated before.
Joan Miro is a Spanish painter who was based in many different movements. This piece "Prades, the Village" (also known as "Prades, el poble") was created in his early career and is based in Fauvism. This landscape painting contrasts straight lines against smooth, curved lines and the dark green that is mixed with a soothing, bright blue, and yellow. This landscape contrasts lines and colors greatly and this is my inspiration for the background of the painting. I decided that using a white would contrast against the darker colors I used for my skin tone. I was going to use light grey swirls in the background, but I did not have enough grey to do so. Techniques I used virtually the same painting technique throughout the entire painting. I first outlined each colors position and extended it just a small bit so it was easier to blend. I then did the same with the next color which I created by adding more Titanium White. (I started at the darkest skin tone needed, and worked to the lightest.) I also didn't paint in circles, rather I painted in straight lines so I could better create the gradient I needed.
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Planning I liked this picture before I chose it to paint. In fact it is my picture located on my home page of the website. This picture however was taken with a pretty terrible camera. The picture has a greyish filter on it. and this removes some of the color and shading, and color. I decided to put a "vintage" filter on it using Adobe Photoshop Express. This way, I would be able to look at the picture, and it would be easier to determine what color, or gradient of the color I should use. I wanted to portray a smooth textured skin as Vermeer did in "Girl with a Pearl Earring". The only way to do that was to create gradients from dark to light.
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Process First I had to put together the frame and put the canvas on the frame. To do this I used a hammer and staple gun, which I then used to connect all four sides of the canvas frame. I did this by stapling the corners together, and hammering down the ones that didn't go in properly. I then cut the canvas out using scissors and put the canvas on the frame. I then stapled the canvas down to the frame after pulling it decently tight around the frame. I then folded and stapled the corners down, and cut off any access canvas.
Secondly I had to gesso the canvas which consisted if long strokes up and down on the canvas. This creates the white background of the canvas and allows the paint to dry on a hard surface, rather then go through the holes of the canvas. After the canvas was gessoed I had to project the image onto the canvas so I could trace it. I did this by plugging an HDMI cord, into a projector and my Chromebook. I put the image on screen, positioned it, and then began tracing it onto the canvas. First I went around the outside of my head, neck, and shirt to show exactly where I was going to be place, to ensure I could put the projector back in place if I ran into trouble. I then traced the facial features onto the canvas, and then any change in color I saw. Such as the gradual change in color from the left to the right of the painting. It was finally time to paint on the canvas. First I decided I would fill in the solid black colors first as they would be the easiest to go over again later. This would mean the hair, glasses, and the shirt, the facial hair would be done later. I realized half way through the shirt that I did not have enough paint in order to finish the shirt. I decided to paint the face next and finish the rest of the black later when I could get more. I focused on the darker side of my face first. This consisted of mixtures of Raw Umber Brown, Burnt Umber, Lemon Yellow, Scarlet Red, and Titanium White. The darker colors would consist of more Raw Umber Brown while the lighter colors would have more Titanium White. After retrieving more black, I went over the shirt again. Next I had to add the color to the lips, and the black to the shirt. To do the color of the bottom lip, I took my lighter skin tone and added a small amount of Scarlet Red to it so it could become a lighter, more pink color. For the top lip I mixed in a Crimson Red, so that the color of the lip would look darker than the bottom lip. For the mustache and eyebrow, I decided to paint a small amount of skin tone in the spots where the eyebrows were going to be because it allowed them to look more realistic. I the went over them again in black, using straight lines to show that they are strands of hair and not just one large block of hair. Lastly, I added a white background that would contrast against the darker tone of my skin. I simply just coated the background of the canvas with the titanium white paint. |
Experimentation
Out of all the colors, and brushes I owned, I only used around four different brushes and four different colors. I used the smaller brushes to outline the larger parts and cover up the pencil lines. I then used a larger brush to fill in the rest of the area. This can be seen in the shirt for example, where the lines around the shirt are precise, while the inside of the shirt is solid. Also for my mustache it can be seen in one of the pictures that I painted over the area with the skin tone, and then added black. This ended up being a problem however, because the black and skin tone were mixing together rather than staying separate. This prompted me just to use the black in the mustache and eyebrows.
Reflection
I think that this piece went very well, a lot better than I thought it would. I believe that the painting style I was using was simple yet complex. It focused on the position of shadows and gradients and in the glasses it caused a small bit of trouble. In the picture my glasses casts a shadow across my face that goes directly under the eyes. I did this in the painting by adding more Raw Umber Brown. This created a dark color, but not a color dark enough to really show past the darkness of the face, This bothered me a small amount, and you still can't really see it. I also wish I would have added smaller light grey circles in order to really get the contrasting aspects of the background.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer inspired me to use a similar position in my portrait, and also, the Baroque painting style that captures the shadows created on the skin, which creates a smooth texture to the face. "Prades, the village" inspired the background of my piece. The light color background and curved lines contrasts against the straight, darker portrait in the center.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Each other uses there respective styles to show a specific contrast an removal. Johannes Vermeer removes the texture of the face completely, and still manages to create a realistic figure.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
People often see themselves as what they want to be rather than what they are. While in the painting process I realized the feeling that pushes you to change those subtle imperfections.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
Both of my inspirations focus on the style, and aspects of the painting. In the "Girl with a Pearl Earring" I used the portrait style, and the style of painting. I followed the baroque movement inspiration, which focused on the shadows and texture of the skin.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Throughout this entire process I've found out that painting is really relaxing. Sitting there softly gliding your paintbrush across the canvas is very soothing for the mind.
The painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer inspired me to use a similar position in my portrait, and also, the Baroque painting style that captures the shadows created on the skin, which creates a smooth texture to the face. "Prades, the village" inspired the background of my piece. The light color background and curved lines contrasts against the straight, darker portrait in the center.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Each other uses there respective styles to show a specific contrast an removal. Johannes Vermeer removes the texture of the face completely, and still manages to create a realistic figure.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
People often see themselves as what they want to be rather than what they are. While in the painting process I realized the feeling that pushes you to change those subtle imperfections.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?.
Both of my inspirations focus on the style, and aspects of the painting. In the "Girl with a Pearl Earring" I used the portrait style, and the style of painting. I followed the baroque movement inspiration, which focused on the shadows and texture of the skin.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Throughout this entire process I've found out that painting is really relaxing. Sitting there softly gliding your paintbrush across the canvas is very soothing for the mind.
Reference Page
“Johannes Vermeer and His Paintings.” Johannes Vermeer and His Paintings, www.johannes-vermeer.org/.
“Prades, the Village.” Guggenheim, 20 Mar. 2019, www.guggenheim.org/artwork/2933.
“Prades, the Village.” Guggenheim, 20 Mar. 2019, www.guggenheim.org/artwork/2933.