Art M43: Beginning Painting I Professor: Erika Lizée Moorpark College, Spring 2013 Phone: (805) 378-1400 ext. 1754 Monday/Wednesday 9:00-12:15 pm, T-105 Email: elizee@vcccd.edu Office Hours: T-115 Website: www.erikalizee.com M-Th 8:30 – 9:00 and 12:15 – 1:00 Class Blog: www.lizeepainting.blogspot.com Course Prerequisite: Art M20 Journal Over the course of the semester you will be keeping a Journal. The purpose of this homework project is for you to create a journal full of materials that you have both compiled and produced. In the Calendar section of the syllabus, you will find the topic of the week for the Journal, which generally corresponds with what we are studying in class. Based on the week’s topic, you will be doing a variety of writing exercises, sketching, painting and research. The journal is meant to help you think about ideas that influence our work in the classroom, and give you the opportunity to write in a creative, informal style. Often times the writings will be reflective and will serve as a creative launching point. Get into the habit of bringing your journal to class--you must have it in class the first day of the week, as we will be discussing the topic and presenting the entries of the previous week. I will also be checking off whether or not you did the assignment. Having the assignment done on time will earn you half the possible points for the week! Each topic will be worth 10 points. I am expecting you to be thoughtful in both your written and creative entries. I will collect the journals before the midterm and final critiques to fully assess your work. Bookmark this fantastic website—it’s a dictionary for artists. Really helpful! http://www.artlex.com This site is also full of info on artists and their work (go to The Artchive section): http://artchive.com Week 1: Chiaroscuro Study Chiaroscuro is an Italian word basically meaning ‘light and dark’. The more common or general term that we will use for this is Value. Chiaroscuro is usually a meant to discuss a more intense use of value, with very strong highlights and shadows. One of the main things I hope you will experience through painting in this class is how value makes forms look realistic or three-dimensional. When you paint something with a solid color, it appears flat, it is a shape. When you begin to add value to this shape by adding highlights and shadows, it will begin to emerge in space; it will turn into a volume or a form. Using value allows us to create the illusion that a 3D object exists within the painting. In your journal, draw the outline of a form. It can be whatever you like, a chair, a cup, a pillow, but just capture the outer edge of this object. (You must be drawing from life, not from your imagination for this study.) Now make a second contour drawing of the same form, however this time begin to shade the object, adding a full range of value from white to black. Put a strong light on your object and make sure to draw the shadow it is casting on the surface it is sitting on. This second drawing should demonstrate how value/chiaroscuro transforms a shape into a volume. Week 2: Blending! Blending with acrylic paint is one of the toughest techniques to master. The most important thing to remember is that your brushes and paint need to have enough moisture so that you can easily spread and blend the paint on the canvas. The moisture you will be adding will come from two sources, water and acrylic medium. Generally you will dip your brushes in water to make the bristles flexible, but then dab off excess water on a rag. Too much water will make your paint runny. Acrylic medium will be mixed with the paint to bring the viscosity of the paint to a blend-able level. Acrylic medium also serves as a binder, making the paint stronger. Practice blending….In your journal or on a separate sheet of paper/canvas, draw three horizontal rectangles across the page (around 2 x 6”). Within each rectangle you will be blending from one color to the other. The goal is to blend so smoothly from one color to the other that we don’t see any brushstrokes. You must go over each strip at least three times. Remember that paint is translucent. The more layers of paint, the more saturated the colors will become, the less your brushstrokes will show through. The other thing to keep in mind is the evenness in which the colors are blended. Without having defined segments, we should see an area of the

original color transitioning into the middle hues which transition into the final color. For example, if we are going from white to black, we should see an area of white, transitioning into a large area of grays ending in the final color black. The whole transition should be very smooth. In your 3 rectangles smoothly blend the transition from yellow to black, yellow to red, and yellow to blue. Color theory will tell you that in the yellow to red transition there will be a large transition area of oranges, and with yellow to blue that large transition area will be greens. Check out what happens with the yellow to black transition! To make it easy on yourself, start with the lighter colors, gradually adding darker colors in. Use medium to help with the viscosity of the paint! Week 3: Color Associations Brainstorming Draw 8 columns onto a page of your journal and number 1-15 in each column. Then, at the top of each column write the following colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown and Black. Now brainstorm and write down 15 attributes for each color. These attributes can be tied to feelings, cultural symbolism, consumer products, holidays, psychological associations, etc. Dig deep!! In class we will discuss everyone’s findings to see what we agree on and what may be a personal association between you and a color. As we move forward in the class, consider the color choices you make and what kind of impact they will have on the viewer. Week 4: The Picture Plane and Composition The picture plane is the surface upon which you will be painting. One thing a painter always has to consider is if they want to create the illusion that the viewer is looking into a deeper space (beyond the surface of the picture plane) or if they will allow the paint to sit flatly on the canvas, or work out a combination of the two. However your paintings deal with space, you will need to determine the composition. Composition relates to the way you have visually organized the elements (line, shape, texture, value, color, space) in your painting. Your goal is to create an interesting, appealing and harmonious relationship between these elements. In preparation for the paintings we will be doing in class, look around your house and find 3-5 objects that are interesting and/or meaningful to you. Using these objects, make 5 sketches in your journal, each with a different composition. Consider using the Rule of Thirds or the Rule of Odds to help organize the scene. Remember to engage the entire picture plane (this means no clusters of objects right in the middle!). Have your elements going off the picture plane. Also watch for tangents with the edges of the picture plane. Drawings should be around 3 x 4” and be sure to draw out your picture plane first. The picture plane must remain the same size for all five drawings; however, you can experiment with the orientation being either vertical or horizontal. Put a star next to the composition you feel is the most successful organization of the objects. Week 5: Content – Finding meaning in a work of art The content of a work of art is what the piece is about. As viewers, it is our job to determine what the content of a work of art is. Often times we can read an artist’s statement, or the writings of an art critic or historian to help us determine what the artist’s intentions were when creating the piece. Other times this information isn’t available to us, or perhaps we want to determine the meaning of the work on our own. In this case there are four areas that we can look at to help us find meaning: the physical materials used; the techniques the artist employed; the forms, elements or subject matter used; and the intellectual or emotional associations we have with each of these areas. Let’s examine each of these areas to see how they could impact the content of an artwork by examining American artist, Wayne Thiebaud’s painting, Cakes, 1963, oil on canvas, 60 x 72”: (look this painting up online to get a better view of the colors, materials, etc. – go to artchive.com)

When looking to find meaning in this piece, what do we see when considering…. • Physical materials: oil painting on canvas • Techniques: thick, impasto paint • Forms, Elements or Subject Matter: unified composition through repeating rows of circles/cakes on

pedestals, with variety in the way they are decorated; soft color palette with cooler hues in background and shadows, warmer hues in cakes

• Intellectual or Emotional Associations: A more modern approach to oil painting, choosing subject matter that relates to an average day in America, looking at consumer culture and the delicacies we have at our fingertips. Thick, impasto paint helps to create the presence of these cakes in that the paint comes to feel like the frosting itself. The soft palette is very inviting, while at the same time promoting the frivolous nature of the subject matter. I think Thiebaud is also playing with using color in a painterly way, rather than trying to make the shadows and cakes look photorealistic, he is allowing the painting to be a painting, using vibrant blues in the shadows on the pedestals and softer violets on the table. Overall it seems like he is commenting on the levels of comfort/luxury we experience in our consumer culture, as well as exploring the relationship between the surface of the canvas and the paint through application and color. Luscious piece!

Now it is your turn to try the same process of making meaning in two other paintings. Start by making your observations about the work. Then begin to discover what intellectual and emotional associations you can pull from them. Here are the two works to use: (they are also on artchive.com) Jacob Lawrence: The Migration Series, Panel No. 10: They were very poor, 1940-41, Tempera on gesso on composition board, 12 x 18”.

Frida Kahlo: The Two Fridas, 1939, Oil on canvas, 68 x 68”.

Often times it can be helpful to read a biography of the artist, as most artists pull from personal experience to make their work. Artchive has short articles on the artist that you can read if you are having a hard time figuring out their work. You should also consider what was going on in the world at the time the work was created, as this has a great impact on artist as well. Remember there is no wrong answer when finding meaning in a work of art. Everything is open to your personal interpretation! Week 6: Working Large to Small, General to Specific When looking at a finished painting, we are immediately drawn to all of the details the artist has put into the piece to make it look realistic. What we can’t see in this finished product are the layers of paint that have been applied and the process the artist went through to get there. As we begin to paint our first still life, you will learn that it is best to start by blocking-in large shapes first with local color. When we block-in large shapes, it helps us to begin to see the composition as a whole. You will be tempted to develop one small area of a piece (because it’s fun!) however, if you decide something about your composition needs to be changed, then you will have to paint out this area to make the composition work. Remember, composition first! This is the groundwork for any successful painting. Blocking-in gives us an idea of what the painting will look like in color. Once this is done, then you can gradually begin to add layer upon layer of paint. With each layer you will be adding more and more detail and a greater range of value to your forms. This process turns the flat shapes you blocked-in into realistic looking volumes. In your journal or on a separate sheet of paper/canvas, redraw your best composition from Week 4, this time making it larger (this will depend on the size of your journal, but make it a full page of the journal). Spend some time making sure the new larger version of the composition maintains the feel of the smaller sketch. Now with acrylic paint, block-in the large shapes of the composition with local color and a bit of value. Be sure to cover the whole picture plane with paint. See if this composition is still pleasing to you once the color has been added. Make adjustments as needed. Week 7: What is Realism/What is Abstraction? What is Realism? Answer the following question: What does it mean to paint something realistically? Then research and find a definition for Realism (there will be several out there!). Now find a regular photographic snapshot, a computer generated illustration of something that is life-like, and a realistic painting. Glue them into your journal and then discuss how each of these images uses realism in its approach and try to broaden your scope of realism from what your original definition of the term was. What is Abstraction? We all probably have different ideas of what abstract art is. Write down your own definition of abstraction or abstract art (draw an example if you like). Now, go to a textbook, dictionary or online and find an official definition. Does this change your idea of what abstraction is? Much in the same way we investigated realism, answer the following questions: What makes a painting abstract? Where is the line between realism and abstraction? Why do you think an artist would want to make an abstract painting? What are the formal elements an artist would rely on to make this type of painting? Week 8: What does Non-objective mean? Much in the way that we have already looked into the nature of Realistic and Abstract art, this week’s journal entry delves into the realm of non-objectivity in preparation for our next project. Do you know what a non-objective work of art is, or what it means if something is non-objective? Describe it. Now go online and do some research and see if you were close. Describe the difference between something that is abstract and non-objective. Why would an artist want to make a work of art that is non-objective? What is your opinion on the level of merit that this type of painting has? Do you appreciate realistic artwork more than non-objective? Why/why not? What are your parameters for appreciating art? How do you judge if something is “good”? Week 9: SPRING BREAK!

Week 10: Non-Objective Formal Considerations In preparation for your non-objective painting, draw the following grid in your journal: Color Lines/Shapes Techniques

Happy

Sad

Angry

Peaceful

Scared

Looking at each of the moods/feelings on the left, consider what color you would associate with each of them. Then describe what kinds of lines or shapes would express this feeling (use adjectives!). Finally think about the techniques we have been practicing in class and determine which of them you could use to create the mood. Consider all options and combinations. You should list at least 3 techniques for each mood/feeling. Week 11: Building a Painting Use the “Building a Painting” handout to reflect on your Limited Palette Still Life painting. In your journal, write about each of the steps and the journey you went on from your initial idea for the piece to its final documentation. Write about your struggles and successes, things you are happy with, things you wish had gone better or you would still like to change. Title the work and journal about what you hope the viewer gets from your piece. Week 12: Iconography and Personal Symbolism The word Iconography is often used to describe the way an artist may investigate an object in a work of art. This term is also closely tied to symbolism and the associations we have with these objects. Symbolism refers to the deeper (often cultural or personal) meanings that we attach to objects, which is usually different from its original meaning or purpose. For example, if you made a painting of the ticket from the concert you saw at the Hollywood Bowl, the original purpose of the ticket was to get you into the show. It however symbolizes for you the time that you had with your friends and the music you heard. It may be symbolic of a certain period of your life or a place that you lived. In your journal entry for this week you will be working with objects that hold strong symbolic associations for you. Go through your house and make a list of ten objects that you feel a strong, intimate, personal connection with. Now, from that list select four of these objects. It is preferable that they are separate objects, from different time periods, relationships, or places. In your journal, draw a large circle and break it into quadrants. Next to your journal, place the objects so each one corresponds with a quadrant of the circle. Pick up one of the objects and really begin to think about why this object is so important to you. Allow yourself to feel the attachment you have towards this thing. Begin to write in this object’s quadrant words and phrases that are coming to mind, both concepts and emotions explaining your attachment. What aspects of your personality does this object represent? Who does it remind you of? What period of your life does it represent? How does it make you feel? Continue this process with each of the four objects until your circle is completely filled with text. Now, imagine creating a painting using all of these objects. Write down four things you think the painting would say about you. The piece would have great symbolic value to you, but would a viewer feel the same way? As the artist, if the viewer has their own symbolic associations with an object how does that impact you? The next time you are looking at a painting, look for personal symbolism in the objects you see and imagine what the artist’s own attachments might be.

Week 13: Your favorite historical painters Historical Painters: Part of what I’m hoping you will discover through your research for the class and the journal is learning about what kind of art you are interested in. Is it realistic, abstract, or non-objective? Is it loud, bold, aggressive with bright colors or soft, subtle, introspective with muted hues? Is it tightly rendered realism, or loose and stylistic? Or maybe you like a variety of artwork. Look back on your notes over the course of the semester, as well as your personal research on artists. For this week’s journal entry, select 3 of your favorite historical painters (this means any artist working prior to 1970), and pick 3 of their paintings you like the most. You will need to bring these digital images to class either on a jump/flash drive or burned to a cd so you can present your selections in class when we do the presentations at the end of the semester. To get the images in a digital format either find them online or scan then from a book. Make notes for yourself on the form that I gave you about the artist and be sure to write down the titles, materials and dates of the paintings. Write what it is about their work that you like and why. If you are having trouble, look to art history textbooks or books in the library. Week 14: Your favorite contemporary painters Contemporary Painters: For the second half of this entry, you will be considering artists that are making work today. Artwork created from roughly the 1970’s through today is called Contemporary Art, and we are in a period that is called Post-Modern. If you aren’t sure of artists that you like that are currently making work, go to the library or a bookstore and look at magazines like ArtForum, ArtWeek, Art in America, ArtNews, Beautiful/Decay, etc. Or go out and see some art! Gallery complexes like Bergamot Station offer a wide variety of artwork to be seen in a short and easy visit. Check out http://www.artscenecal.com for a complete listing of galleries and museums in Southern California. Remember that you are to present 3 of your favorite painters and show us 3 of their paintings that you are particularly drawn to. Write what it is about their work that you like and why. Week 15: Developing Your Personal Style After researching your favorite historical and contemporary painters, look at the images you selected and write down the common threads that you see throughout this work. Start with the visual connections—what do you see happening in the work visually? Perhaps the artists tend to use flowing lines, or strong values, or it is mostly figurative, or perhaps it is a combination of realistic and abstract imagery. Now write down as many conceptual commonalities that you can find. Maybe the work is narrative, or there is a mystical quality to it. Perhaps it relates to expressing the beauties of nature or the corruption of politics. In preparation for our painting collaboration project, think about these qualities (visual and conceptual) and how they influence your current work, or how you would like to model your personal style after them. Write these ideas down either on a separate sheet of paper to accompany your painting. This will give your collaborators an idea of what style or feel you want your painting to have or what you want the work to be about. Next, make some sketches for the project. Develop ideas for what you might like this painting to look like or be about. Once you have something solid, start painting. You should bring your surface to class with one layer of paint on it.