Option 2:
Step 1. Choose your top ten paintings of all time. Do one thumbnail of each that studies the shapes, linear design, and tonal pattern. Pay close attention to the principles of design. Pay close attention to where and how symbols are used in the pieces.
Step 2. Choose one of the most personally moving memories of your life that you are comfortable exploring visually and symbolically. Create four thumbnails which compose your ideas into a scene using what you learned from Step 1. (*for me personally, this type of work helps me work through my own inner experiences and situations to a healthy resolution. It is personal art therapy through composition and symbolism. Explore your inner realm and moods in value and tone.)
Great assignment, isn't it?
Here are a few pages of classical painting thumbnails...
It was impossible for me to pick my 'all time top 10', it changes frequently - so I picked a number of my favorite artists, and picked a well-liked painting or two from them...
One thing I noticed about my choices - I seem to prefer single (and occasionally double), central figures, minimal background - unless it's nature-based, and I seem to be drawn to mythic-themes (there are lots of wings), children, water, light....
And so I did some thumbnails of my own. Themes transmuted as I went...
I can see how this could become very therapeutic. :-)
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5 comments:
What a fantastic exercise, Tara and one that will help reveal many of the motivations you and I have discussed. (I haven't forgotten...just been busy with family). Though this has taken much of your time, I think overall this class has been extremely valuable. Thanks for sharing.
Fascinating project, Tara! I bet you really get to go deep into your artistic "centre". Most cool! :)
This particular homework seems to be the artistic equivalent of "we write to discover what we believe." Working with visual themes and symbols to reveal on paper what is of value to you, what has shaped you and how things connect--it must be both therapeutic and self-illuminating.
wow, how interesting! I'm with soozcat, esp. if you extend the concept of "believe" to "think." I've always said I don't know what I think until I write it down. Then I learn all sorts of things...
This use of drawing fascinates me. I've recently begun doing (very primitive) sketching, developing symbols and letting my hand follow my dreams. It's part of a new project I've made up - I want to make "license plates" for the unused brackets on the front of my car. Michigan has only a back plate, CA had two. The front of my car looks barren and scarred by the former plates... not pretty.
I mention this because I've learned that it's definitely an internal recognition of symbols that mean something to me. It's a new world. I'm used to thinking of symbols as word-images, not squiggles on paper.
When I look at your work I see that there's more - an intellectual, imagination and emotion fusion - but I didn't "get it" until I started this squiggling away process.
Your very own thumbnail looks like you and your interests. I like it.
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