Inspiration/Exploration post 1

In Fine Arts, I feel my artwork is very inspired by Art Nouveau, old fairy tale illustrations, and more modern, abstract line pieces.

Currently in my drawing class I have been experimenting with these styles by combining them using different medias- charcol, watercolor, pen, colored pencil, and gold leaf

Here are some pieces by professional artists I find inspiring:

Arthur Rackham^

Alphonse Mucha^

Album art for Efterklangs ‘Tripper’ ^

Gustav Klimt^

I like to emulate the line quality utilized by artists in the Art Nouveau period, while also referencing more illustrative techniques similar to Rackhams. I’ve always enjoyed doodling using dark, black pen ink to create abstract shapes to almost mimic different patterns (similar to Efterklangs album art). I am also interested in perfecting the use of gold leaf, like Gustav Kilmt is so well known for.

Concerning photography, I am very inspired by more photojournalistic works, by photographers such as James Nachtwey and Deborah Kogen

I would also like to explore subjects in a fashion similar to Sally Mann- She is known for her photographs of family members, focusing on portraying childhood innocence, or photographing the subject just for the subjects sake (with no deeper meaning other than to portray the objects beauty). She uses a large, view camera and develops the images all herself in her own darkroom. Her process and many of her photographs can be seen in this episode of Art 21 – http://www.hulu.com/watch/65258/art21-art-in-the-twenty-first-century-place

I’m also very fond of work by Duane Michals, and how he portrays series of events

I also like how many surrealist and Dadaists developed their photographs using a process known as solarization to create  unnatural outlines with high contrast

For my Thesis Trial Run, I think I want to explore my use of photography by taking more classic images in natural, almost fantasy like settings. I then want to develop these images to give them a surrealist feel- exploring more dark room techniques.

After Effects Part 2

After Effects Part 1

http://vimeo.com/9069242

5 panels

Doodles

Music Interpretation Research – Movie Soundtrack

I chose to illustrate the theme music from the film Amelie, ‘J’y Suis Jamais Alle’. I chose this music because I feel it represents the whimsical, child-like charm of the film very successfully, while still portraying nostalgic overtones. The woodwind instruments are emphasized to reference classic french orchestral themes, while still being modern and almost catchy in its lighthearted tone. I plan on using photographs from my trip to Europe nearly a decade ago, all shots in B&W film. I feel these photos will work well to represent the nostalgic, european mood, and then I’ll overlay them with brightly colored images of floral patterns and birds to play with the whimsical feel of the piece.

Trailer to the movie:

Screen shots from Amelie-

Photos from my trip to Europe several years ago-

French design/illustration-

Eveline Tarunadjaja ^

Tania Mason^

Lena Wolf ^

Kate Wilson ^

Labaokoff, French Photographer/Painter^

Some French Wallpapers/patterns-

5 Panels

Project 3- First 3 Panels and Story

Here’s another one I started for the third panel- I was thinking of combining Pop and Op art, for my of ‘my style.’ I was going to color it with bold colors like the completed one, but if you think what I already have is okay then I won’t worry about it.

Story:

Upon Arienette’s high school graduation, her parents felt it was time for her to experience life outside of her small town. Instead of sending her to the city, where she will be living once she starts college, they decide to send her on a much larger journey – one will she will truly experience different cultures and life style, as far removed as possible from the life she knows. They plan for her to travel to the east and west corners of the world, globe hopping from France to Japan, and India to Germany. They left her at the airport with only her suitcase, her passport, and her stubborn ethnocentrism. She had never been on a plane before, so her fear and hesitation rose as she clutched the window frame while gazing at the humming, huge, mechanical birds.

Arriving in Paris, her first stop, Arienette is nervous and anxious of what awaits her. She visits local espresso bars and heads to one of many art museums. In the late afternoon she takes a double-decker bus to see the Eiffel Tower, her reflection jumbled and fractured against the thick plastic windows. Arienette has some trouble adjusting to the unfamiliar culture and language, but realizes it’s not as bad or as different as she thought it would be.

Contrasting greatly with French culture, Arienette’s second stop is Tokyo, Japan. She immediately loves all the bright colors, vivid billboards and the overwhelming energy that fills the air. She finds the natural beauty of the cherry trees in a beautifully juxtaposed harmony with the large buildings and bustling street life.

Her third stop, Agra, India, is a little bit less appealing to her. She feels more estranged and less at ease than in the pop dominated Japan. However, instead of immediately judging it as less superior to her own culture, she decides to simply view the activities surrounding her in a different perspective. She takes an immediate liking to all of the embroidered, intricate fabrics woven with strands of metallic gold wiring. Seeing an elephant walk down the same street as her was very unusual but comical to her, and made her reflect on how truly small she is in this world.

Approaching her final destination, Meissen, Germany, Arienette feels no fear or negativity. She is only exciting for what experiences await her, and though homesick she does not want her journey to come to and end. She finds the cobblestone roads welcoming and humble, and the red slate roofs unique and endearing. At the highest elevation in the city she gazes over past the endless vineyards to the horizon, which isn’t much different from hers back home. At the completion of her adventure Arienette feels enlightened, with a much broader view of the world and a greater understanding of what truly matters in life.

Progress Project 3

Heres what I’ve been working on during class time. I added the words”L’amour ne perit jamais” translating to “Love Never Fails” in French to help tie in with the story a little better. I didn’t want to change the layout too much since I think the abstraction works well. I still have to put this in photoshop to add the borders and Passport stamp overlays. Any suggestions?

Project 3: Extensions

East/West

In the following 5 panels I will illustrate Arienette’s journey around the world, to the east and to the west. Since Arienette is somewhat of an ethnocentrist, she is hesitant of the journey to come. In this first panel I show her at the airport, gazing at the airplanes outside the windows with her suitcase next to her. I used Naturalistic colors, accentuating the red, white, and blue to further signify that she is still in America, and has not yet begun her journey. I will be using overlays of passport stamps throughout the collection to unify the images.

For my second panel I am displaying Arienette in Paris, referencing Cubism. The subject (Arienette), is broken up into multiple shapes and then assembled in an abstract form. This image will be monochromatic, ranging from bluish grey to a warmer, neutral grey (much like many Picasso pieces).

References:

Panel one

1st panel in colored pencil

Panel 2 References

-Traveling West, Paris

-cubism, monochromatic, abstract

Panel 3 References

-Traveling East, Japan

- Pop Art, Saturated colors, Busy street scene with Cherry blossom

Panel 4 References

-Traveling East, India

-Art Nouveau, Outlines, Intricate design, Embellishments, Gold leaf

Panel 5 References

-Traveling West, Germany, Red Roofs

-Expressionism, Munch, Egon Shiele, Kollwitz, Scibbly line quality