I guess I've gotten on another landscape kick. I have a tendency to paint them when I feel overwhelmed, and since I haven't had access to my anti-anxiety meds these past few weeks I guess it isn't that surprising. I know that it's not exactly a new concept, these landscapes- and I'm not doing them in any groundbreaking new way.... but I like them. I guess they can become an escape for me- both visually and through the process of actually painting them. They give me an opportunity to experiment with different techniques and I like to play with unconventional colors and see how realistic I can make them. It helps that they tend to turn out pretty impressionistic- one of my classmates told me that they disliked how the picture is lost when they look closely at it. But that's what I like. Painting is important to me because it helps me express myself without having to use words- or even be literal. I guess I see these as a reflection of how I view myself.....somewhat: looking somewhat put-together from afar, but much more chaotic when seen close up. I used to try and copy some of Van Gogh's landscapes from his time in Arles and I definitely have found those paintings (his, not my copies) to be very large influences. To a smaller extent, I guess I try to emulate Cezanne's color theory- specifically his ideals of how cooler colors retreat and warmer ones stand out. I tried doing that with the individual blades of grass in my larger painting, gradually getting warmer and larger as I moved to the bottom of the canvas. That was lost when I went back in tonight though. I've never been to the places which they painted, but viewing their works is able to make me feel as though I am standing in the painting- not because they look real (they do not), but because the brushstrokes used are so enticing and make me feel like there is more happening behind each one. I want to be able to capture that kind of feeling. I know that they were masters of their crafts and were actually painting en plain air, whereas I am working on top of a dirty sheet within my apartment and don't even have photo references...... but Iwant each of these places to be real so badly that I think I may ve able to one day give them the lives that they have in my head.
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AuthorArt Student at Flagler College. I am frequently instructed to write blog entries about my artistic thoughts and process. Archives
April 2017
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