Our last black and white assignment is supposed to be a personally meaningful piece centered around either the theme of 'loss' or 'dreams'.
Some of these are riffs on some previous sketches -
(this concept was totally lost on my young, single, male instructor... He was mystified.)
I didn't get as far with this one - but this *is* a sample book cover that I totally want to finish at some point.
This week is *crazy* - the days are totally getting away from me, sorry for the late posting - again..
Saw a painting with this tree in it and loved it - enough to inspire a quickie sketch that might serve as a partially vignette piece for my homework (and future painting?). Deciding whether I like the concept well enough to pursue...
Yet more figure-studies with somewhat more composed vignetted backgrounds...
Trying different approaches...
For those of us who aren't taking multiple classes there were some optional assignments to choose from. I choose this option:
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. :-)
A couple of color variations on this silly, silly poster...
Do you like one better than the other?
I've just started taking a part-time online course on Color & Composition from TAD
(The Art Department) (offshoot of
Massive Black and
ComceptArt). The homework thus far has consisted of more 'grown-up' design work than I've had to do for some time. Is stretching my brain!
This week's assignment was to design a poster for TAD....
After today's critiques I'm going to develop #4/the key further (add all the text and tonal info). Not a whole lot of time to take this to finish really, so simple is good!
Awesome! I got the "empty nest" symbolism immediately. I love that tree sketch too.