Expedition Text: “Fireflies through Crimson Days” shows how with love of those around me, I was able to stay afloat and continue living. My tears dried and my world lit up when my friends came into my life. I took inspiration from Van Gogh and the ability to see his brush strokes in his paintings, adding character and the shapes and bright colors he uses.
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Inspiration:
Van Gogh
Before even starting my painting, I already had a painting style I wanted to do for this piece, I wanted to incorporate soft colors and wanted my painting to have visible brush strokes. Looking back at notes I took on Impressionism in sophomore year, I found myself learning again about Van Gogh again. From there I decided he'll be my inspiration for my paintings. I really adore his usage of light in his starry night painting, and due to my painting having a lot of light source, I wanted a reference for how to do it. In his portrait of a woman, I like how you can still see his brush strokes and some shapes between the face, I style that i love to do digitally, and wanted to incorporate in my painting as well.
Ideas:
First Idea:
To be honest, I didn't have to think much about what I wanted to do. I had an idea lying around in my sketchbook from the first time a diptych was mentioned, looking back at it, its perfect for the theme so I decided to use it. Overall my idea revolves around how I have grown as a person, as well as how damaged my community has got over time. Showing how when I was little, my neighborhood was a safe place, but after a while I had to learn that things change, people change. and the atmosphere of where I grew up in was not safe anymore. Something I had to learn at a young age, and something I had a hard time comprehending, since when we are little we don't always see the bad things and make the good out of the bad, we don't see the red flags. As a matured, I saw the flaws in my community, the violence and the safeness. I never felt safe after I realized this, which hurt as this was my childhood place full of wonderful memories, ruined.
Second (and final) Idea:
For my second idea, I was thinking of focusing on light source, contrast between dark and lights. My idea was having me holding a glowing object, one side with fireflies and the other with something else (not sure what). Representing a more happy topic, more so about my friends, and how with them by my side, I was able to not lose myself. My friends representing the fireflies, and the glowing object representing my heart and how they have kept it glowing even when it was so close to shutting down. The left painting will have the object in a sense "dying" down, and the right one is the object glowing with the fireflies keeping it upfloat.
Process:
Sketch for 1st Idea:I started of by re-sketching my original idea, as when I sketched it, I did using stick figures and I wanted a clearer idea of it. After I was done with this sketch, I transferred it digital onto my drawing program. The reason for this is because I can look at things here more close up and can easily re-touch my sketch. It also helps my ideas be more organized, and helps me work without stress knowing I have the sketch done. Then I colored the sketch (not neatly) and played around with colors until I felt happy with the color palette in hand.
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Sketches for 2nd Idea:
As I started working on my piece, I noticed that I wasn't really liking it. Building are something I've never drawn, and it was something I hadn't thought about after continuing the painting. Luckily, I only had the sketches done when I realized this so, all I did was go make the my sketchbook and come up with something more challenging but closer to my comfort-zone.
Failed idea:
After the sketch is done, I transferred it to the canvases. This part of the process was quite difficult as I am not used to working with mediums this big. With the use of a ruler, I measured a lot to make sure the angles, proportions and alignment was correct. The hardest part by far was figuring out the perspective of the building and making sure it was proportional and both the painting connected well. The measurements of each window was 3 by 4.50 inches. At first I had trouble with the windows, and the whole "look" of the building, that's when I went to google maps and looked up my neighborhood and drew the building next to my house, while changing up the design a bit. Then I toned the canvas with a watered down beige, from my past experience with painting, this makes it easier for my to paint, as I don't work well with a bright white canvas.
This process was full of trial and error. In the end I decided to lay down the colors first and then began rendering it. As I was finishing the first coat of paint, I wasn't sure if I like the color combinations.
First Painting:
This is the point where I stopped and looked at my painting, feeling as though it was not justifying what I wanted to do, stopping all together as I was not liking the route this was taking, More so with my inexperienced with painting these subjects. After, taking a step back, I painted the canvas with a light gray color, to have a black space for my next sketch. This time I was certain that this sketch would be the final piece, as I comfortable with most of the subjects, however I added a challenge with the whole light source object.
I started of my painting by coloring the background completely black and doing 12 by 24 in grids for both canvases. Then, I began by painting the "light" side, staring of with the face. I began painting by first adding all the base colors, i made these colors with brown, yellow, white, and a bit of red. After the back colors were set, I went in and added more shading and shine, just adding stuff as I worked until I liked it.
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Second Painting:
For the left canvas, I basically did the same process, but instead I used blue, pink, white and a bit of gray for the colors. This area was a bit harder due to the colors however I am happy with how it ended up coming out even though it looked different than what I was imagining. I decided that the light I was holding for this side would be pink, I felt that due to all these cool tones, I needed some kind of warm and bright color to add character to it. Which is also why I added a pink tear on this side.
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Paintings Together:
Afterwards I put them together, and I started fixing tiny details where they connect. I also added more detail to the hair, as I felt it looked to flat, and I really like how it turned out. Especially looking at it from afar, I can see my style was prominent and you can see the brush strokes which was what I was aiming for. For the clothing, I tried to show the brush strokes more, and in some places it worked well but some places I had to retouch. I also added hints of color to the shirt to make it pop, at first I wasn't sure if it was going to look good but after doing it, I was really proud of it.
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Critique: (compared to inspiration)
Compared to inspiration:
Similarities:
- The usage of light compared with my piece and his piece of Starry Night use yellow as their main color.
- You can slightly see the shapes he used in the face, something I tried to enhance in my piece.
Differences:
- Van Gogh uses more soft brush strokes while mine are very rough.
- For the particular paintings of his that I used as inspiration, he uses more muted colors compared to my painting, while I tried to use more brighter colors.
- He has more blended work.
Critique from teacher in class:
- Clean up the clothes, add a bit more detail like the face
- Fix the left hand, as it's not as strong as the right hand
Reflection:
The initial process of this painting was very stressful as I was trying very hard to do something challenging and different from what I usually do, and although that is a good thing, I did not incorporate any of my strengths into that said idea, therefore the process was draining. Once I gave myself a break and time to compose myself I came up with a better idea, still challenging, but I incorporated some of my strengths in it, therefore the process was not as stressful. I knew from the beginning acrylics were going to be really hard to work with due to how hard they are to blend before they dry, however i'm not experienced with oil paint so this was a better option. To solve the blending issue, I figured it was better to work with shapes on the face better, if I could make different tones, front light to darkest it would give the illusion of it being blended. The main thing I wanted to show with these painting is how my friends helped make my life better, lighting up the way through the dark road, which also showing how in pain I was before I communicated with them and told them my struggles. The purple/pink side showing my struggles while the yellow side showing how my friend helped me, I also added four fireflies in order to represent them as more my own thing. My favorite piece is the fireflies side, I had so much fun with that piece and was impressed with how it looked at the end, I am very proud of that side. I don't have a least favorite part of the piece other than the fact that I did not put enough gesso on my left canvas, as even after going over the background multiple times with black, some of the canvas would still show, at least I know that I should put more next time.
Connections to ACT:
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
Monet's approach with art, gives a sense of movement, whether the painting he did is of a tree, it makes me think of it and imagine the place in my head. His works are also interesting to look at and appeal to ones eyes. I wanted to convey that same feeling myself, as I wanted my painting to be interesting to look as and show movements and something going on.
2. What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Vincent Van Gogh found it hard to keep friends, as many had made rude remarks towards his artwork. However, he had found it easier to become friends with fellow artists, perhaps due to the common hobby they shared.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Sometimes depending on others and talking out your feelings makes you feel better. Your problems aren't a burden, and those around you, your friends are there to support you as much as you support them and its okay to rely on one another as we are all going through similar things.
4. What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
My big inspiration for this piece was my friends, and my past experiences. I wanted to incorporate the strength my friends have given me throughout the years, helping me overcome my mental health. They are a huge part of my life so I wanted to add them onto here in a more, metaphoric way.
5. What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
Dark and light colors work so well together can help bring your painting to life, but you also have to make sure the colors you picked out contrast well together. Lighting works wonder as well, while doing my painting, it was looking very flat at the beginning but once I started adding the light source (yellow), the painting began taking form.
Citations (MLA FORMAT)
https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/stories/friendships-for-better-and-for-worse#0