Quiúbole. |
EXHIBITION TEXT
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Size: 13 inches by 10.5 inches
Medium: Acrylic, Oil Pastels and Thread on Canvas Date: September, 2019 |
Senior year and an artistic block decided to pay a visit. Midway through the project I ventured into YouTube to obtain some sort of inspiration which was when I found Rain Mang. I employed the content over the skill and style that he used on his work "Karafuru". This piece was completed on a primed canvas cloth with Acrylic paint and Oil pastels.
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ARTISTIC
I N S P I R A T I O N
( A Critical Investigation)
The inspiration for this piece didn't came until later in the process. I was facing an artist block and I found myself stuck in this creative "journey" that I didn't want to take if I'm honest. It all come together after a while, but I must admit that the work done for this project was free styled. Thus I place here some screen captures from a YouTube Video that I found rather interesting to mimic. I didn't attempt to follow the style or the working canvas of the artist. Instead I opted to go for the content of the artist's piece.
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To me the koi fishes looked as if they were set on fire. I tried to employ that idea in my own piece.
Second was surrounding the portrait in the middle with them. Thus I surrounded my self portrait with the fish. I still want to make revision to the piece before gallery night but for now I'll consider it complete since I'm satisfied enough with the final piece. |
After looking at my own ideas for inspiration and getting some sort of an idea I went to YouTube to see if that would help. This however, happened midway through the process. I still had no idea of what I was making and I decided that painting koi fishes was somewhat "fitting". These however would be on fire...literally.
P R O C E S S
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I N T E NT I O N S
01. Creative Ideas & Brainstorms
Of course. There was no way I was going to breeze through Senior Year without the yearly visit of an Artist Block :')
In all honesty, I tried. I laid awake for hours trying to squeeze a drop of something out of my head for this studio. And I ultimately failed to do so.
I needed to do something and quick.
Therefore, so that I would just sit around like the bad of bones that I can be, I decided to just pick up a paintbrush and throw some paint on a previously prepped piece of canvas. The idea? None, absolutely nothing...
Then I remembered I have notebooks with random and horrible ideas that I save for cases like these. I pulled them out and went through them. It was quite painful considering that I was in an artist block and the ideas weren't doing anything for me. Below I leave bits and pieces of the pages I went through...
In all honesty, I tried. I laid awake for hours trying to squeeze a drop of something out of my head for this studio. And I ultimately failed to do so.
I needed to do something and quick.
Therefore, so that I would just sit around like the bad of bones that I can be, I decided to just pick up a paintbrush and throw some paint on a previously prepped piece of canvas. The idea? None, absolutely nothing...
Then I remembered I have notebooks with random and horrible ideas that I save for cases like these. I pulled them out and went through them. It was quite painful considering that I was in an artist block and the ideas weren't doing anything for me. Below I leave bits and pieces of the pages I went through...
02. Into Planning
I did not plan much for this piece. Like I said, creating during an artist block is not the most sane thing for me to do.
Thus, I just used an old sketch of an original self portrait and got to work. Once I had some what of a direction for my work, things began to run more smoothly. I was going to freestyle the composition as I worked through the process.
Thus, I just used an old sketch of an original self portrait and got to work. Once I had some what of a direction for my work, things began to run more smoothly. I was going to freestyle the composition as I worked through the process.
03. Sketching on the Canvas
After I made my final decision on the project I began to quickly sketch out the outline of my face onto the primed canvas.
As I was doing this I was talking to my self and in one of those instances I said "Quiubole" which is a Latin American expression of "What's good?" or "What's up". Or at least that's the closet translation that came to mind. Anyhow, I decided to add it to my piece because it fits what I was thinking about the piece plus I needed more positive space on the cloth. |
04. Attempting Skin tone(s)
I have a weakness when it comes to what I'll call "semi-realistic" portraits and that is...
Skin tones.
I know that skin tones are mixes of primary colors with a ratio of brown, white and black here and there. However I can never come up with the right skin tone. Specially when my acrylics set are heavily saturated.
Here You can see I tried to make my own skin tone but it may have ended to be a little darker than intended. In addition to that are the eyes which I decided to make completely dark/ pitch black to contrast with the bright flames.
The eyes I made with oil pastels because I wanted to see how primed canvas and the oils got along. It was somewhat difficult to apply the oil, but it worked out fine for the piece.
Skin tones.
I know that skin tones are mixes of primary colors with a ratio of brown, white and black here and there. However I can never come up with the right skin tone. Specially when my acrylics set are heavily saturated.
Here You can see I tried to make my own skin tone but it may have ended to be a little darker than intended. In addition to that are the eyes which I decided to make completely dark/ pitch black to contrast with the bright flames.
The eyes I made with oil pastels because I wanted to see how primed canvas and the oils got along. It was somewhat difficult to apply the oil, but it worked out fine for the piece.
05. Adding Positive Space to the Work
This particular idea of adding positive space to my piece came from Rain Mang and one of his YouTube videos in which he paint on denim jackets to customize them.
I added these to mine since I see them around often...
I thought I could use this to my advantage by designing a well used idea by rethinking into a different idea. However, I'm not so sure if I was successful with this. I'll have to revisit this section of the composition as well.
I added these to mine since I see them around often...
I thought I could use this to my advantage by designing a well used idea by rethinking into a different idea. However, I'm not so sure if I was successful with this. I'll have to revisit this section of the composition as well.
06. Working on the lips
Once again...this artist block was getting the best out of me. I thought to myself "how could I make this piece less...static and plain?" and so I took thread and a needle. The rest is history.
Above are the results...
I also plan to come back to this part of the piece with a fresher outlook on it.
Above are the results...
I also plan to come back to this part of the piece with a fresher outlook on it.
C R I T I Q U E
COMPARISON POINTS:
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CONTRAST POINTS:
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R E F L E C T I O N
Perhaps you'll be tired of the many times you've had to read "artist block" in this web page as much as I am. I felt as if this piece is completed but not quite at the same time. I don't hate the outcome but at the same time something feels off about it. Overall, I like the layout of the composition with the positive space of the koi fishes and fire. The face on itself had a decent proportion and the skin tone is not a solid hue. I will definitly come back to it once this artist block decided to let me live in peace.
However, I must say that it's rather interesting to create during an artist block since you freestyle the first thing that come to mind.
I want to improve the koi fish to the bottom right and add more dimension to the flames. I also want to revisit the lips on the piece and detail it so that it pops more (out of the canvas). In addition to that is the word "Quiubole" on the bottom that got cut off as I was experimenting with the shape of the canvas.
However, I must say that it's rather interesting to create during an artist block since you freestyle the first thing that come to mind.
I want to improve the koi fish to the bottom right and add more dimension to the flames. I also want to revisit the lips on the piece and detail it so that it pops more (out of the canvas). In addition to that is the word "Quiubole" on the bottom that got cut off as I was experimenting with the shape of the canvas.
A C T
R E S P O N S E S
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
Rain and I used the same organisms in our works as a surrounding aura of positive space and warm hues around both portraits.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
His work is self-explained thus his ideas revolve around a messy caos, violent feelings and the Japanese culture.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
It's a reinvention of the things we are most familiar with at times. Take for example Rain Mang and his work. He didn't want to paint the traditional geisha but instead exaggerated the features and spread of the colors to represent a violently beautiful composition of a modest and delicate being.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Not following any particular artistic rules or tradition of inspirations. Plus a study of brush strokes and colors.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
While listening to Rain Mang talk about his ideas I thought that he also had no set or definite vision of his work while he was going through the process. Sure he had feedback from his client and a sketch on the canvas but he was bringing his vision to life kind of on the spot...like me :)
Rain and I used the same organisms in our works as a surrounding aura of positive space and warm hues around both portraits.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
His work is self-explained thus his ideas revolve around a messy caos, violent feelings and the Japanese culture.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
It's a reinvention of the things we are most familiar with at times. Take for example Rain Mang and his work. He didn't want to paint the traditional geisha but instead exaggerated the features and spread of the colors to represent a violently beautiful composition of a modest and delicate being.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Not following any particular artistic rules or tradition of inspirations. Plus a study of brush strokes and colors.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
While listening to Rain Mang talk about his ideas I thought that he also had no set or definite vision of his work while he was going through the process. Sure he had feedback from his client and a sketch on the canvas but he was bringing his vision to life kind of on the spot...like me :)
B I B L I O G R A P H Y :
Mang, R. (2019, June 3). Karafuru custom painted denim jacket. Retrieved from, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ0Ov6qGRHU