A Closer Look - Acrylic Painting
Title: A Closer Look
Size: Medium: Acrylic Paint and Canvas Board Date of Completion: August 2023 Exhibition TextMy piece titled ¨A Closer Look" is an acrylic painting inspired by Henri Rousseau. This piece depicts an underwater scene of the Great Barrier Reef and the silhouettes of two scuba divers in the distance. The human race as a whole generally feels as though the world revolves around our existence. However in this piece I explore the concept that nature is beautiful in both its complexity and independence of humans.
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Inspiration
While searching for inspiration for this piece I immediately remembered the works of Henri Rousseau. I had a general idea of what I wanted the theme of my piece to be and felt his work would be inspiring in further developing my theme and helping me develop an idea for the composition of my piece. I discovered the painting the Equatorial Jungle" and was drawn to its composition and style. I appreciate the crowded nature of the piece with overlapping leaves and foliage. I also appreciated that there was not necessarily a vocal point of the piece but rather the complexity of the composition and the entire scene itself held the emphasis. Inspired bu the singular animal hiding in foliage of Rousseau´s piece I decided to incorporate a singular fish slightly hidden by seaweed in my own.
The Equatorial Jungle by Henri Rousseau
This piece titled Butterflies and Poppies by Vincent Van Gogh was an amazing inspiration for my piece. The painting was created by Van Gogh in oil paint which created some differentiation from my piece since I used acrylic paint. While I did not take direct inspiration from the subject matter of the piece I instead was inspired by the style, composition, and form. I utilized the same technique ass Van Gogh to apply black paint to outline different elements that he wanted to have stand out while leaving others without an outline such as two large poppy flowers. His use of form in these two flowers displays an intentional lack of precision in regard to small details but instead uses large blocks of color to create the petal shapes. I applied this technique while creating different elements like the coral in my piece.
Butterflies and Poppies by Vincent Van Gogh
Planning
My first planning sketch was a small thumbnail sketch that helped me begin to layout my idea for the composition. I did not use reference photos for this sketch and simply just wanted to layout the general location of different key elements such as the fish and scuba divers in the background. It is not until later that I referenced specific species of coral and fish to include in my piece. To create this sketch I used a black ballpoint pen. I had prior knowledge of the general look of a coral reef but knew that I wanted to conduct further research and find reference photos so that my final piece was as accurate as possible.
The second sketch I made during the planning process was of a fish called a Racoon Butterflyfish. While researching different species of tropical fish that live in coral reefs I was very fond of the coloration and patterns of this species. Deciding I wanted it to be the fish in my piece I then wanted to make a sketch that would help me better understand its anatomy and pattern. At first I planned on only doing a rough sketch of the fish but once I started I realized it might be more beneficial to make a more detailed drawing.
Process
To start my piece I mixed a combination of acrylic paint colors including Cerulean Blue, Cadmium-free Yellow, Naphthol Red, and White to create a teal background. However, I did not want the background to be completely solid and made sure to not fully mix the paint allowing streaks of dark blue and white to be seen amidst the teal. In regards to brushstroke I intentionally allowed the brushstrokes to show and be in different directions. This is a technique I carried throughout the entire process of creating this piece. After adding the paint in the foreground I then used a palette knife to scrape the paint down the canvas attempting to create more texture.
To create the fish I started by sketching out the outline in pencil before filling it in with a layer of yellow paint. Next I added a small amount of brown to the yellow paint and added it in light blotches on the left side of the fish. Continuing to use my planning sketches and reference images I added in the black and white details of the face before painting on the final highlights and details such as the brown lines on the side and the white of the eye. The small brown lines on the side where difficult to achieve and I ended up going over them with the yellow and brown several times before being satisfied with them. |
I began adding in the outline of the midground by first mixing paint together to create a peachy orange and pink tone and adding a rough patch of paint in the middle of the canvas. Next I added more red to the paint in my dish to create a darker color to put further in the foreground. I felt that having two different tones would imply the distance and dimension I wanted to depict. It is at this point that I began adding in the first outlines of coral starting with the large piece of staghorn coral on the far left of the piece. I did so in a similar process to that of creating the background by not fully mixing the paint and allowing it to show brushstroke and streaks of different colors. |
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Finally the last step of my process was to create the two small silhouettes of scuba divers in the distance using a fine round tip brush and black paint. This step ended up being easier than I had originally anticipated mainly due to the simplicity of the silhouettes but in the end I was very happy with the final result. Additionally I decided to create thin black outlines around various edges of the different elements such as the large staghorn coral and seaweed. During this step I also added in three small white bubbles emerging from the fishes mouth.
Experimentation
Before starting my final piece I decided to experiment with each of the paint colors I would be using by testing them out on a sheet of thick water color paper. Half of the colors I was using were brand new and I felt it would be extremely beneficial for me to see how they looked with and without water. Additionally I wanted to decide which shades of red, yellow, and red, I wanted to use in the piece. I ultimately decided on Cerulean Blue Chromium, Cadmium-Free yellow Medium, and Naphthol Red light. I learned through this testing process that certain colors were different consistencies. For example the brown was much thicker than the others while the yellow and red were a thinner consistency. After gaining all this knowledge on my new paints I was able to apply it throughout the entire process of creating my piece.
Critique
Similarities
- Feature a somewhat complex nature scene.
- Depict elements in both foreground and background.
- Similar use of form and light to imply natural elements with simplified shapes rather than realism.
Differences
- Differing styles between Rousseau´s piece and my own.
- Specific subject matter is different. (My piece depicts an ocean scene while the other two do not)
- Different materials used to create pieces.
- Feature a somewhat complex nature scene.
- Depict elements in both foreground and background.
- Similar use of form and light to imply natural elements with simplified shapes rather than realism.
Differences
- Differing styles between Rousseau´s piece and my own.
- Specific subject matter is different. (My piece depicts an ocean scene while the other two do not)
- Different materials used to create pieces.
Reflection
This project was not my first time using acrylic paint or canvas board so in general the process of creating this piece was familiar for me. However I do feel that the style of this piece varies from the styles I have experimented with in the past. In order to create this style I conducted research regarding different ways to create texture and how to display form in a way that isn't entirely realism or abstract but rather somewhere in between. I am pretty fond of the finished product and appreciate my artistic choices that helped create a composition that is complex but not overly busy. This piece took me a lot less time to plan and create than many of my other acrylic pieces. I feel this may partially be due to the fact that I was more confident in each element I created and did not spend an extensive amount of time perfecting them. Instead I wanted to push myself to make bold streaks of paint and shapes to focus more so on form than on detail. The only fine details I created in this piece was at the very end when I decided to go in with a smaller round tip brush and add rough black outlines on each element and to create the scuba diver silhouettes in the background.
ACT Questions
1) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
I was able to utilize my research to depict a theme of nature to human relationships but specifically address a topic surrounding our lack of perspective as humans regarding our role in the society and in nature. I was inspired to create a piece that addresses this topic in a way that still gives the viewer an opportunity to interpret the piece.
2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The overall approach the author has regarding the topic of my inspiration is that nature is beautiful in both its complexity and independence of humans, yet we often are oblivious to it entirely.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
A generalization I developed from researching topics surrounding the disconnect between humans and nature was that the human race as a whole generally feels as though the world revolves around our existence.
4) What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
There is a selfishness inside us all that often prevents humans from recognizing the vast beauty and complexity of nature that surrounds us everyday. Despite all that is going on around us in the sky trees and sea we typically are only paying attention to ourselves.
5) What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
An inference I was able to make while reading my research was that we often don't take the time to quiet out thoughts and simply examine the natural world around us. By not doing so we are missing out on all the beauty that nature has to offer and are miss an opportunity for grounding.
I was able to utilize my research to depict a theme of nature to human relationships but specifically address a topic surrounding our lack of perspective as humans regarding our role in the society and in nature. I was inspired to create a piece that addresses this topic in a way that still gives the viewer an opportunity to interpret the piece.
2) What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The overall approach the author has regarding the topic of my inspiration is that nature is beautiful in both its complexity and independence of humans, yet we often are oblivious to it entirely.
3) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
A generalization I developed from researching topics surrounding the disconnect between humans and nature was that the human race as a whole generally feels as though the world revolves around our existence.
4) What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
There is a selfishness inside us all that often prevents humans from recognizing the vast beauty and complexity of nature that surrounds us everyday. Despite all that is going on around us in the sky trees and sea we typically are only paying attention to ourselves.
5) What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
An inference I was able to make while reading my research was that we often don't take the time to quiet out thoughts and simply examine the natural world around us. By not doing so we are missing out on all the beauty that nature has to offer and are miss an opportunity for grounding.
APA Citations
Co, A. H. (2023, June 4). The equatorial jungle: Henri Rousseau. Art History Co. https://arthistory.co/the-equatorial-jungle-henri-rousseau/
Portrait of francoise, 1946, 51×67 cm by Pablo Picasso: History, Analysis & Facts. Arthive. (n.d.-a). https://arthive.com/pablopicasso/works/197041~Portrait_of_Francoise
Portrait of francoise, 1946, 51×67 cm by Pablo Picasso: History, Analysis & Facts. Arthive. (n.d.-a). https://arthive.com/pablopicasso/works/197041~Portrait_of_Francoise