Artwork: Drypoint
"Light in the Dark"
Medium: Dry Point Size: (20.5 cm x 15 cm) September 2017 |
Exhibition Text
This piece was meant to represent religion. Not just the whole base of catholicity, but how my view of Virgin Mary is. I had made the Virgin Mary my main inspiration since the whole piece is revolved around her. I have seen her before throughout my life. So I used my known knowledge of her and influence from Leonardo da Vinci. What I had incorporated within my Drypoint was Picasso's "Jacqueline Lisant," which had been my inspiration for the style of design.
Planning
Artistic Inspiration
Jacqueline Lisant by Pablo Picasso, 1958
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Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks, c. 1483
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Image of Virgin Mary for Inspiration
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Dance by Alphonse Maria Mucha, 1898
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Since the theme of my Drypoint is about the view point of others I had decided to take on the movements, the Art Noveau, Abstract Impressionism, and the Renaissance. I had been heavily influenced by the Renaissance movement because of how many of the painters within the movement had painted portrayals of reality. I love how every feature or blemish was very realistic. Inside the Renaissance movement I had discovered Leonardo da Vinci. Although I had decided to change it up from being super realistic because the plexiglass I had transferred my sketch on was not capable of doing so. That is when I had decided to go with the Abstract Impressionism movement and within that I found Pablo Picasso. I had included both Pablo Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci because I had experience with their work before, which only made me want them to be my inspiration even more. Although it was a hard time trying to find Picasso's lithograph's of the style I had wanted. Picasso also has made many different kinds of work, but his paintings are far more known from the public. Which is another reason why it wasn't as easy to find. After trying to find a particular style I wanted it was much like Picasso's since his lithograph was very emphasized by the line texture and influenced by the Abstract Impressionism movement. I didn't find Mucha as an inspiration until i had finished my sketch. My sketch had been very plain for the halo hovering over Virgin Mary. I had then came across Mucha in my old sketch book and incorporated his style of the hovering circle with very detailed designs in it.
Most of my inspiration had came from what I had knew of Pablo Picasso's lithographs. I had knowledge on his style beforehand. So after finding his lithograph of ""Jacqueline Lisant," it had impacted me to try and do the same very "sketchy," dry point. I love how his lithographs had been etched to be formed as an impressionist style. Which had been influenced by the Abstract Impressionism movement, that had developed in New York from the year of the 1860's. I had incorporated the same type of line design and texture. In "Jacqueline Lisant," You are able to see were Picasso had a small form of cross-hatching in Jacqueline's chest area, which is similar to what I had did within my dry point. Although I had used way more texture because I wanted mine to be more drawn by the stylistic point of the dry point.When I had included Leonardo as another inspiration I had knew of his painting " Virgin of the Rocks," so I had based my whole dry point on his painting. Although instead of doing the angels and Virgin Mary. I had only done Virgin Mary.
Most of my inspiration had came from what I had knew of Pablo Picasso's lithographs. I had knowledge on his style beforehand. So after finding his lithograph of ""Jacqueline Lisant," it had impacted me to try and do the same very "sketchy," dry point. I love how his lithographs had been etched to be formed as an impressionist style. Which had been influenced by the Abstract Impressionism movement, that had developed in New York from the year of the 1860's. I had incorporated the same type of line design and texture. In "Jacqueline Lisant," You are able to see were Picasso had a small form of cross-hatching in Jacqueline's chest area, which is similar to what I had did within my dry point. Although I had used way more texture because I wanted mine to be more drawn by the stylistic point of the dry point.When I had included Leonardo as another inspiration I had knew of his painting " Virgin of the Rocks," so I had based my whole dry point on his painting. Although instead of doing the angels and Virgin Mary. I had only done Virgin Mary.
Meaning
The meaning behind my Drypoint had came from what I see as what the Virgin Mary could look like if she were to be ominous. I love the fact that I had changed the idea of her although not what she is completely. You see Virgin Mary as someone who is very innocent and is meant to be looked up to in a grateful manner. But, changing her initial look could alter the way the viewer see's her. Which I why I had wanted to. With my dry point versus the normal Virgin Mary they contrast with how you feel when you look at them. My artwork is meant to make you feel that reiligon doesn't always have to presented as so bright and glowing all the time.
Process
Brainstorming
Sketch #1 Sketch #2 Sketch #3
Sketch #1- For the first sketch I had initially wanted to do something involving the same skeleton impression as my block print. Although I wanted to change the identity of who it had represented. I had choose to sketch what I see as the human race and what I think we do to the Earth. The meaning is meant to make you feel as if you play with the home we live on. The things we do normally on a daily basis is only harming the earth and I wanted to express this with the Earth swinging off of a string from the skeleton.
Sketch #2- As I had done more research with Picasso I had changed the viewpoint. I had also thought that my first sketch was too plain and did not show as much texture as I had wanted. I had then began to be drawn to the Renaissance movement. Which is where I had used the Virgin Mary as an representation of what I had wanted to alter when it comes to innocence and the normal viewpoint of it.
Sketch #3- I was completely against to the idea of making Virgin Mary being innocent, instead that she would be eerie looking. After making my first sketch I had moved on from the initial drawing and went straight into the idea that she was going to be sinister looking. Within doing the second sketch I had restarted drawing because I still wasn't satisfied with the way she had looked. Which came to my last sketch of the ominous Virgin Mary.
Sketch #2- As I had done more research with Picasso I had changed the viewpoint. I had also thought that my first sketch was too plain and did not show as much texture as I had wanted. I had then began to be drawn to the Renaissance movement. Which is where I had used the Virgin Mary as an representation of what I had wanted to alter when it comes to innocence and the normal viewpoint of it.
Sketch #3- I was completely against to the idea of making Virgin Mary being innocent, instead that she would be eerie looking. After making my first sketch I had moved on from the initial drawing and went straight into the idea that she was going to be sinister looking. Within doing the second sketch I had restarted drawing because I still wasn't satisfied with the way she had looked. Which came to my last sketch of the ominous Virgin Mary.
Follow Through of Dry Point Process
1. Carving the pexiglass-
Once you tape your plexiglass to your sketch it's pretty simple to etch everything against my sketch. Since you are able to engrave everything you see. Although I had already carved everything and I realized how the Halo had not been as circular shaped as I had wanted. 2. Printing- After finishing all the etching I had then soaked paper for about 3 to 5 minutes, while I had waited for the paper to soak. I put oil based ink on the plexiglass with a paint scooper. After covering the board completely evenly distributing the ink across the board, I had wiped most of the ink off with newsprint only leaving the ink that had been within the etches of the pexiglass. Completing the process I had rolled my print through a self rolling press machine. Which had gave me my Drypoint print. I had repeated these steps for 4 of the prints I had done. |
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Skills and Techniques
When I had started scratching with the dry point needle, I had started off being very gentle because I didn't know how I had needed to put pressure on the needle. After learning that the etches weren't deep enough I had went over them until it had felt more gouged. Putting pressure towards the tip of needle had improved the way the etches had came out. Although when doing cross-hatching it had been more difficult since I didn't want to make them so close together that they would make a puddle of ink.
Compare and Contrast
Since I had used Leonardo for my inspiration I had took his "Virgin of the Rocks," and had played with the idea of Virgin Mary herself. Although aside from performing the idea of her glory and innocence I had used previous knowledge of her image and another image I had found online. For referencing when drawing my sketch for the dry point. When you look at my finished drypoint you are still able to see the use of bright colors and light deepness from da Vinci's painting that I had used in mine with the water color's. I had took his use of color and value because even though I had intentionally wanted her to be the opposite of her faultless perfection I still wanted that subtle glow. I had used Pablo Picasso's "Jacqueline Lisant," for the stylistic part of my dry point. I had felt that the abstract shadows and human anatomy had made the portrait of his wife very mystical. Which is what I had wanted to create as well. I used Picasso's use of shadow and cross - hatching to create the same line and value within the dry point. You are able to see very similar qualities of what I had incorpoorated. But, what I had used on my own is my use of form and space. I wanted the Virgin Mary to be the center of attention which is why I had her in the middle. It also in my eyes represents more symbolically of importance.
Reflections
Critique
After completing this project I had learned that etching into different canvases can be drastically distinct. From going from a linoleum to plexiglass canvas it had been very simple for me to carry out the process of etching into the plexiglass because I had already learned before how the canvas you work with might not work with you. So I had took away from my previous knowledge that although it wasn't like the block print. With block print, you pull away what was going to left behind and would make the print. Instead for the Drypoint what you had etched out was going to be covered with ink and then be the print.
Experimentation
During etching my sketch to the plexiglass I had learned that the scratches had came out very light. After noticing that the scratches were not coming out as deep as I had intended them to be. I had went over the light etches and had dug the needle in deeper,but I had to be careful not to go too deep. Other wise I would have gouged a puddle for the ink.
After finishing all of my prints I had played with the water color paint. At first I had only wanted to add yellow to the print because I had felt that adding more would only cover the printing style. Although I had felt that it was too simple, which is where I had added color to the hair, eyes and more cross- hatching with the folds of the head dress. Since I had thought all three of the parts of my print didn't pop out as much as I had wanted them to when you looked at it. |
Only yellow water color on Print
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Added more water color to Print
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ACT Responses
What is the overall approach ( point of view) the author has regard to the topic of your inspiration?
The overall point of view the author has of my inspiration is giving information to the viewer of who, what, and why my inspiration came to be.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc, while you researched your inspiration?
The kind of generalizations I had discovered over the people I had researched for my inspiration is that the artists I had included are very divergent from one another. They are also from different time periods and movements as well.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research had been revolved around the Impressionism movement because the etching I had done were impressions of what movement or light castings would look like within my print.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
While reading my research I had made inferences on the movements and what they depict or are categorized by. Since I didn't want to go on about the movements I had only made quick assumptions and facts.
The overall point of view the author has of my inspiration is giving information to the viewer of who, what, and why my inspiration came to be.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc, while you researched your inspiration?
The kind of generalizations I had discovered over the people I had researched for my inspiration is that the artists I had included are very divergent from one another. They are also from different time periods and movements as well.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The central theme around my research had been revolved around the Impressionism movement because the etching I had done were impressions of what movement or light castings would look like within my print.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
While reading my research I had made inferences on the movements and what they depict or are categorized by. Since I didn't want to go on about the movements I had only made quick assumptions and facts.
Bibliography
“Abstract Expressionism Movement, Artists and Major Works.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement-abstract-expressionism.htm. Accessed 26 Sept. 2017.“Pablo Picasso.” Windsor Fine Art, www.windsorfineart.com/picasso/. Accessed 22 Sept. 2017.
“Leonardo da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks – ItalianRenaissance.Org.” ItalianRenaissance.org, 29 May 2014, www.italianrenaissance.org/leonardo-da-vincis-virgin-of-the-rocks/. Accessed 22 Sept. 2017.
Online, Catholic. “Mary the Blessed Virgin - Saints & Angels.” Catholic Online, Catholic Online, www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4967. Accessed 22 Sept. 2017.
“Leonardo da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks – ItalianRenaissance.Org.” ItalianRenaissance.org, 29 May 2014, www.italianrenaissance.org/leonardo-da-vincis-virgin-of-the-rocks/. Accessed 22 Sept. 2017.
Online, Catholic. “Mary the Blessed Virgin - Saints & Angels.” Catholic Online, Catholic Online, www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4967. Accessed 22 Sept. 2017.