ART HISTORY - 20,000 BC TO PRESENT

Aubrey V.D. 11x14" Oil on canvas "Adirondacks #1"

Aubrey V.D. 11x14" Oil on canvas "Adirondacks"

Aubrey V.D. 16x20" Oil on canvas "Adirondacks"

Final Project

I chose to paint a 16”/20” in landscape. The landscape is painted from a picture taken in the Adirondacks. The Adirondacks is known for its picturesque scenery. The complexity of nature gives the artist freedom to find new ways to describe nature with paint. It is almost impossible to paint an exact copy of a photograph depicting nature, but I find it amazing that the tonality and brush strokes can mimic that of leaves on a tree and the glistening rocks in the water. Painting two other landscapes earlier in the semester, I had found that I really enjoy painting this subject matter. I have learned new techniques from each of the previous paintings that I wanted to incorporate into a new piece. Painting is a learning experience, and I discover something new in every painting.

The left side of the painting is very dark and shaded by the trees, whereas the right side is very bright and colorful. The grass and trees are very warm, and the water is cool. The warm and cool colors play off each other creating a very active scene. The eye has to look at every part of the painting before turning away. The small bright accents are very attractive. The trees have a lot of texture. In contrast, parts of the stream that are calm and smooth needed a smooth texture, therefore I made it harder to see the brush strokes. The brush strokes play an important role in creating atmosphere and I used it to my advantage. The painting goes back into space hundreds of feet. The best way to create depth in a painting is to really show those shadows and highlights. Each time when a shadow and highlight are placed next to each other, more depth is added to the painting. A highlight is often a sharp edge and the shadows are very soft and diffused. I tried my best to keep the dark areas light weight and airy, by painting only one coat of dark paint. The undercoat is very important because it ties the whole piece together. I struggled painting the trees and they may have been overworked somewhat. Next time I paint a landscape, I think I now know how to handle them better. It is all about shadows and highlights, and the placement of the quick brush strokes.

I have learned the importance of letting the undercoat show through a little. I learned more about the technique of layering the paint and yet keep the painting from getting over worked. I am still experimenting, and each painting is a success to me because of the progress I am making. Overall, I think the best feature is the water and rocks. I seem to know exactly what to do when it comes to painting them.

The painting simply say’s “I am a Landscape.” It is not painted photo realistically but it is obvious what it is of. In a way, this is a very simple piece, because it is only a study of how to paint the idea of a landscape. I am learning how to use tone to create depth, how to layer the paint, and how to paint hundreds of leaves and blades of grass with only a few strokes.

Alina S. 14"x11" Oil on canvas "Self-portrait"

Alina S. 14"x11" Oil on canvas "Self-portrait"

Alina S. 24x20" Oil on canvas "Self-portrait"

For my final piece I chose to paint a self portrait. I drew inspiration from Expressionism, and attempted to distort reality for emotional effect. I was compelled to chose myself as a subject because I believe that a self portrait can be a very powerful tool for self expression. Everything from the color scheme, facial expression and paint handling represents the abstract ideas of the painter. When the painter is the model they inevitably project their own feelings and the way they perceive themselves on to the work in a very intimate way. My goal was to remain as uninhibited as possible and allow the painting to develop on its own. I wanted in the end for it to be able to stand alone and speak for itself.

I used many oil painting techniques and concepts to achieve a cohesive finished piece that was effective. I used compositional concepts to decide on the placement of the focal point. I used a classical portraiture approach. I used the concept of value to create form and achieve an anatomically correct representation of my face. I used colors for their inherent values to establish planes. I scumbled the colors together to get secondary planes between them. Contrasting warms and cools were used depending on the light to show shadow. Another technique was to build the value directly on the canvas as much as possible. Aside from secondary planes achieved through scumbling, many of the colors were mixed directly on the canvas to create chromatic neutrals or variations in color. I tried to keep the piece high in chroma in order to achieve vibrancy and have it be engaging to the viewer. I also made it a point to keep my brushed clean in order to maintain the integrity of the color and prevent it from getting muddled and muted. In terms of the paint handling, I tried to use varying amounts of linseed oil to thin out the paint. I tried to keep it thick and dominant in the eyes and face and thinner in the background and hair. The eyes were an important focal point because of their emotive qualities and the paint handling was intended for that. I used various painting techniques to achieve texture. I also tried to make the background be in harmony with the focal point. I matched many of the colors to lessen the separation, and also the value to ensure a smooth transition between foreground and background. Lastly, in order to make the piece highly expressive, I distorted some of the features to steer away from photo-realism. I kept it so that they are still very recognizable as a face and its features but details are merely suggested with spontaneous blocks of color. This is seen mainly in the hair.

Some new concepts revealed themselves to me during this process. One concept I learned was that I can allow myself the freedom to let a painting take shape on its own. I didn't begin with a concrete plan except for the color scheme and subject. The goal was not photo realism. I tried to keep true to the nature of painting as a medium and my own style of paint handling. In doing so, what emerged was true and honest self expression; a combination of my emotions while working on the piece, the imagery that resulted and my own personal method of handling the medium.

Another concept that I learned more about was color interaction. I used a lot of pure color and varied it according to the values to effectively roll the form and show dimension. For example lemon yellow or orange were used for high key values, and red, green blue or sienna were used for the low key values, respectively in descending order. I believe the color interaction, with its inherent value the variation between high and low key color hues, is what makes this a unified and balanced piece.

A third concept I discovered through this process was hue-to hue mixing of colors to create gradients in value. Until this concept I had not considered that complimentary colors could create chromatic neutrals and subsequently change the value of a color. I had always worked with achromatic black or white to make tints or shades. In moving away from this method I was able to keep the chroma of a color true but change the value. I was able to further explore and understand color theory.

While the piece has many strengths there are also things I feel could have been improved upon. I think with a better understanding of color theory I can do a lot more with color harmonies. I would like to be able to create illusion through the use of color and somewhat trick the eye. I think if I were to paint another self portrait I would change the way its cropped. I would use compositional techniques in an expressive way, such as making the face larger and more dominant within the space.

Sarah Z. 16x20" Oil on canvas "Shoes"

When presented with the opportunity to do a painting of my choice I
was eager to jump upon the still life I had been waiting years to do. I
decided to do an individual still life containing my younger sister?s
stilettos. The sharp angles and vibrant colors were a challenge in the
beginning but through discovery had proved to work well within the
piece.
Some of the elements I used within my final piece were as follows.
Spacing, I wanted the shoes to look as though they had fallen into
their places, which proved to be quite the task, after many thumbnails
I had fallen upon this composition. Next, I wanted all of the shoes to
be within the canvas but, the image looked cluttered and wasn?t
aesthetically pleasing by instruction from my professor to have some of
the shoes run off of the canvas and become larger in scale. This
helped the piece by giving me more room to create and blend color. The
texture of my paint is more matted than others I chose to have a soft
and creamy paint method as opposed to tiny splotches of color. The
colors I used within the piece are the true colors of the shoes, I
tried tying all of the pieces together by using the color of a previous
shoe to lighten and darken the next. The visual weight amongst the
piece is balanced by the positioning of the shoes and the angle at
which they are placed. Overall I am satisfied with the piece, if I had
the opportunity to do it all over again there are some things I would
have done differently. For example, the black shoe on the left of the
canvas, the color of the shoe was hard to tie into the piece and the
highlights that were being reflected could have been integrated better.
The title I was going for with the piece was ?Shoe Graveyard?, the
idea of all these beautiful shoes sitting alone unworn and uncared for
yet elegant and edgy. There was no feministic alterior motive within
the piece. Although, the shoes do portray a sort of feminine appeal.

David B. 20x16" Oil on canvas "Precarious"

I was compelled to choose this subject matter for the fact I wanted to challenge myself. When I painted eggs in an earlier painting it was not that easy. It was challenging then, and it was challenging in this painting. I wanted to be able to represent the many surface planes of the eggs as well as the reflected light.

To start off the painting I used many techniques. They included (#1) an under painting to lay out the values, (#2) I used a limited palette making it easier to think in terms of warm and cool, (#3) I tried to bind the subjects together by repeating colors within the painting, (#4) I used different brushstrokes, (#5) I used the rule of thirds and applied cropping when setting up the composition, (#6) I used hard edges and countered this with the soft edges that I scumbled into the negative space, (#7) I worked from the darkest values to the lighter ones, being careful not to overwork the painting, (#8) I incorporated a layering technique and allowed areas previously painted to dry before painting them again, (#9) I used a lighter value in the foreground that becomes darker in value towards the background to represent the illusion of atmospheric space, (#10) I used a palette knife to add paint as well as using it to scratch in textures.

Throughout the painting I discovered how the final painting is enhanced by the under painting technique, that by using multiple thin layers over the under painting one can achieve many effects as the different colors show through the layers of paint. I also discovered how blended edges can totally disappear, yet still be visible. I found that using warm and cool colors in close proximity with one another can add a lot of excitement to even the most drab areas in the painting.

For this painting I chose to do an individual still life on a 18”x24” canvas. I also kept the palette simple. It consisted of ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, indian red, raw umber, black, and white.

I really liked the “rolled edges” of the eggs. I liked the dark cast shadows because I wanted to use contrast as an underlying theme of the painting. Some of the contrasts were the colors-warm/cool, the textures-smooth/rough, as well as the complementary colors-yellow/blue, and black/white. If I had to do the painting over, I would lower the value of the entire painting by at least two steps (on a value scale of 10). Another thing I might have incorporated in the painting was maybe a bright cloth draped along the base where the blocks are sitting. I think this would have added another dimension to the painting and allowed me to blend this color into the base of the blocks. I’m not sure if I like the bottom of the blocks and the way they are sitting, to me it is too barren.

This painting, titled Precarious, represents the many different planes that exist within three-dimensional objects. The rough texture and resiliency of the wood and wall is contrasted by the smooth, yet fragile eggs. To me the blocks represent the hurdles that can be overcome before finding a secure place to rest upon completion. This secure place is always an illusion, it will always be a precarious one, when viewed from another perspective.

David B. 20x16" Oil on canvas

Megan O. 16x20" Oil on canvas

What compelled to choose a seascape as my final piece was that there expressive to create and have free forms. Along with that seascapes are more creative then still life and give the artist more of a chance to express a feeling through movement. I did not want to be trapped in another painting where everything was depicted by the objects selected. I wanted to be able to create something out of nothing if needed or desired.

Ten oil painting techniques and concepts that were used in this painting where using an under one to create the out line. Then after then the under tone was done using the same shade creating the values for the piece. The one that I had the most fun with was the clouds and that was rolling the panting brush to get a rolling cloud effect. Also with the clouds to have the parts that where not going to be fluffy I took the brush and just swiped it across the paint. To blend the paint together I used stumbling. The plate knife was used to create the back splash of the waves and spray against the rocks. Small brushes where used to get more texture in sir ten areas. In some areas the paint was applied heavy to show importance. The use of yellow in the sky and water was to brighten them up. Along with dark sienna was applied to blue to create a very dark shade of blue for the sky and water.

The three new concepts the where used in creating this piece was using the plate knife to create the back splash. The second concept that use in the piece was the use of a warm color in the water to create depth. The last concept used was to apply the paint heavy in some areas to show its significance.

The color scheme to be used in this project was to consist of blues, browns, yellows, and white. Each color would have their own degree changes in value and chromas. Plus the temperature of each color would very as well. There was to be an over all temperature of cool but with hints of warm radiating through in some parts.

The areas that I am satisfied with are the clouds, how realistic and fluffy they appear to be. Plus with the clouds there seems to be warmth shining through them like as if the sun was covered by them. Another area I am satisfied with is the water splashing against the rocks. That the splash looks like the rock is pooping in front of the splash and the splash is perfectly showing behind the rocks creating a wonderful effect. The area that I would want to improve apron on is the rocks. I would want them to have a bit more warmth and realistic feel.

What my piece is expressing calmness with a hint of growing spit. This is shown by the cool temperature through out the majority of the painting and the spite is expressed by the how the clouds where done in the upper left hand corner, along with the water splashing against the rocks.

Adrianna L. 20"x16" Oil on canvas

Adrianna L. 20"x16" Oil on canvas Egg, Bowl and Spoon

Adrianna L. 24"x18" Oil on canvas “The Old Mill House and Stream”

When deciding on my final project for painting one I realized I had not learned landscape painting yet. I am lucky enough to live in a very rural area with beautiful landscapes constantly surrounding me, and I thought how nice it would be if I could paint these scenes. I had taken a basic photography class last year and one of my photos seems to resonate with most people who saw it. This photo was of an old barn near a stream. The image was captured vertically allowing the stream to pull the viewer through the image. There is a certain peace people feel when viewing such a simple country scene. I believe this is why Hudson River school paintings are so beloved. I would love to master this type of skill and I needed to start somewhere, hence my decision for a landscape as my final piece for painting I.

After the decision for my image was made I needed to decide on the placement of the image on the canvas. One of the techniques we learned was to take a square whose center was cut out, hold it up in front of our still life to decide the best angle and subject matter for our piece. I used this idea to help me with the placement of my landscape. We sketched a few thumbnails, and I also used the rule of two thirds. After working with these different design layouts I decided the strength of the image was the stream pulling you through the picture. I made it the

largest area of the canvas. I chose to make the old barn building smaller to create a sense of depth. Next we sketched our piece on the canvas and painted an undertone base with burnt umber. I found this exceptionally helpful when deciding on shadowing or values for my painting.

Next was taking what we learned from a color theory sessions and putting it to work. One of the most interested things I learned was how the combination of blue and brown make a dark black like color. I have used this color a lot in my painting, mixing white and blue to change it to match the barn boards, trees, water and rocks in my painting. When we had to do the color chart for our paintings I had no idea how use full this would be. As we mixed the colors we wrote down the mixing portions for each color we created. When I used up all of a color that I had created the chat gave me the information I need to recreate it. If I was making a new color the chart helped me figure out what I would need for it. This saved me a lot of time but also it kept me from wasting too much paint. The color wheel has become my greatest painting tool.

My painting has some aspect I am very happy with but I am full aware I still have a lot to learn. I feel the barn is a fairly good rendering and I am very happy with how I made the water look like it is really moving. Studying clouds was fun but I don’t think the people who were behind me on my way to school, where very please each time I stopped to take a picture of different clouds. I also notice the sky was different in chrome as it lowered to meet the ground. It was a much lighter color by the ground. I have decided I still much to learn and that practicing at home

maybe the best way for me to develop more a as a painter. The colors in my painting are very bright and I’m not sure I like this. It reminds me more of fall then the dull dark colors of pre-snow winter, which is the time of year I wanted to capture. This reminds me of another thing I must learn, that landscapes are freer flowing than controlled and this is something I have difficulty giving into. In the end I have found this to be very pleasant experience and my knowledge of painting techniques and color has increased ten fold.

Pat J. Mutli-Panel, 10x8" each, oil

Pat J. 24"x18" Oil on canvas Abstract Figure

Emily H. Vessels 16x20" Oil on canvas

Emily H. - Four Panels - each 16x16"

When approached with the idea for my own

subject matter, my mind
tends to race and fill with numerous options.

The only idea that truly
stuck this time was a four-panel

tree painting that I knew would
satisfy my urge for not only environmental

commentary, but also my own
self-expression. To start, this painting was

fully intended to be a
beautiful, thriving tree amidst a lush pasture.

As it progressed, the
deep purples then made me question the

purpose it then held. As the
yellow and violet began to mix in the

background, a muddy and polluted
color began to emerge. Although this is true,

I believe that without
this creation of unexpected color, the

painting would not have become
as interesting. The muddy color then

led me consider the idea of people
trying to thrive in a surrounding that

they then end up polluting. It
could also be read that within such

a desolate environment, something
can thrive and become strong. At this

point, it is left to the viewer
to analyze the piece as they see it.

I believe the deep purples and bright

yellow contrast well, making
each other appear richer and more vibrant.

I used a scumble technique
throughout the whole piece to give it texture

and interest. On the
lower right canvas, I used a series

of mixtures of yellow and burnt
umber to imply perspective and space.

As the background recedes, the
color appears more muted and further

in distance. The canvases on the
left side of the series appear lighter,

implying a light source from
the left, and then fading to a storm-like

sky on the right.

I loved the fact that this painting ended

up being far from realistic.
In my opinion, paintings which show an

obvious burst of expression are
not only beautiful, but also intriguing.

Nearing the end of this
painting, I became entirely satisfied

with the foreground and focused
on it much more than any other area.

It is this fact that may have led
to my dissatisfaction of the upper

background. I believe that more work
could probably be done between the

branches of the trees and on the
tree?s surface. Although this is true,

it would probably be wise to
step away from it and appreciate it for

what it has become. I need not
focus upon every detail, but let it be

something beautiful and
interesting.

Kara B. 16x20" Oil on canvas Roses with Skull

Kara B. 16x20" Oil on canvas The Story of Life

Ashley C. Oil 8x10" panels

Final Project Essay
I chose the individual small thematic
still lifes. I took five, eight
by ten panels and one eight by six panel.
After arranging them onto a
large piece of cardboard, I set up a
still life based on the shadow box
concept that I learned in class this
semester. The still life was
comprised of two whimsical elephant
figurines and an antique scale that
I found in the painting studio. I
arranged the still life in a way that
made personal sense to me. The
scale was half inside the shadow box
with one elephant figurine placed
on top of it. The other elephant
figurine was placed in front of the
scale, but to the left side. The
elephants work together because
they are a repeating element, an
invisible line is drawn between them,
and they seem to be communicating
with each other.

The elephant figurine placed on the
scale represents the weight that
is placed on females of all cultures
to stay true to their femininity.
Elephants represent fertility.
The elephant in front of the scale
represents the women who have
found that their femininity is not the
sum of their whole being.

My paintings relate to each other
because they were painted as a
single complete painting, then
broken apart and placed on the wall with
space in between each panel.
There are many high and low key value
ranges, particularly in the shadows
of the objects and in the box, to
the highlights of the objects. The
colors of this montage are largely
warm, but the elephant figurines
add cool to the paintings, as well as
the scale which also has some cool
sections within the face of the
scale and the base of the scale. The
chroma of these paintings range
from high to low with many steps
in between; the scale and the
elephants have a sense of volume
and form. The textures vary between
the shadow box, the scale, and the
smooth glass of the figurines. I
think that my paintings are not
overworked; I kept the paint from being
muddled, and kept it fresh and
painterly. There is a high sense of
atmospheric space in this painting.

Overall, I think that I successfully
addressed all of the criteria for
the final project. My paintings were
not supposed to be highly
realistic, or look like they were ready
to spring from the canvass. I
wanted to have a whimsical feel to
the paintings, an Alice of
Wonderland atmosphere. The painting
is meant to be a cross between
impressionistic and whimsy, united as
a whole by my perception of the
world. My piece is not political or meant
to be seen as anything other
than a painting that conveys the inner
child that wants to escape down
the rabbit hole into a world of fantasy.

Alyssa D. 16x20" Oil Praque'

For this project, I decided to do an architectural landscape painting
of Prague, Czech Republic. I chose this particular subject matter for
a couple of reasons. The painting that I created prior to this project
was a scene in Florence, Italy. I had learned a lot about capturing
the structure of the buildings as well as their relation to the
surrounding space. The success of the painting inspired me to further
study this type of landscape. I chose Prague for my subject matter
because it represents my heritage. Because I have never seen the city
for myself, I wanted to stylize it realistically, but also give it a
dreamy, fanciful mood.

In order to do this, I incorporated a number of different techniques.
First, I started with an under painting to map out the basic forms of
the scene. The under painting also serves as a base to hold the piece
together as I later work color into each individual area. I used a
limited palette for this piece that consisted of ultramarine blue,
lemon yellow, cadmium red, raw umber, and white. The use of a limited
palette helps give the piece a sense of unity, as similar colors are
integrated throughout the piece. I mixed my palette to create the
blue-greens, oranges, yellows, and purples that were most dominant in
my color scheme. After blending each color, I added different amounts
of white to lower the chroma and make them lighter. I also used the
combination of ultramarine blue and raw umber to darken or neutralize
each color. The pairing of complementary colors, such as purple and
yellow adds life and excitement to the painting. This concept goes
hand in hand with the concept of warm colors versus cool. The variance
of warm and cool colors adds depth to the piece as a whole, and shows a
relation between the subject and atmospheric light. A wide range in
value also gives the piece depth, as darker values appear to push back
into space, and lighter values pull forward. This illusion can also be
achieved through color saturation. More muted, neutral tones will also
fade into the background as those of more intense chroma will pop off
the canvas. When blending different values and tones, I tend to use
the scumbling technique. This technique can smoothen surfaces and can
also add interesting texture. Texture is another element that was
important to my painting. In some areas, I used my palette knife to
scrape paint away from the canvas which created a texture that looks
similar to brick or stone. In other areas I put the paint on very
thick to allow the paint to project off the surface. This was useful
in the lights on the bridge because I wanted each one to stand out and
shine. Putting paint on thick and clean in certain areas also helps to
keep the painting fresh.

Keeping the paint fresh and adding clean, crisp finishing touches is a
new concept that I explored in this piece. I feel that it really
enhanced the painting over all and added vibrancy to it. Through this
piece, I also found myself paying closer attention to value and its
role in creating a sense of depth. I also focused on putting colors of
different temperature next to each other for the purpose of adding
visual vibration to certain areas.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the piece. I feel that I achieved a
realistic image of what the city of Prague looks like, but still gave
the piece emotion and mood. I feel that the color scheme was very
successful because it gives the piece a certain dreamy, imaginative
feel. I think that the combination of pale purples and yellow-oranges
create a romantic atmosphere; somewhere that people would like to
imagine themselves at. In some areas however, I feel that I could have
concentrated more on keeping my colors more fresh and unmuddled. I
tend to want to blend certain areas more than I need to, and
consequently, they appear to be over worked.

To me this piece represents my dream to one day visit the country of my
heritage. I feel that aside from the atmosphere and architecture, I
incorporated my own emotion into the piece. I hope that those who view
my painting are inspired in some way; if not to visit the same place
that they are seeing, than to one day visit the place that they wish
to.