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1.) Subject: what is your piece of/about? Are you drawing from life or images
For my first concentration piece I chose to paint a frontal view of the ancient Roman Colosseum. All the reference photos of the structure and shape were taken online as I have never personally went to see the Coliseum. I chose this building in particular because it has truly stood the passage of time. Being built from the mysterious "Roman Concrete" its delicate arches have remained through wars, famine and natural disaster, while the building around it have crumbled. This relationship between buildings and time is the theme of my concentrations so it only seemed fitting I paint this legendary building that is a homage to this very idea.
2.) Inspiration: Was there an artist, movie, peer, etc, that inspired/influenced you to create this piece? What was it that you liked about their work (process, materials, concept...)?
This work is mostly inspired by the photo seen above. After seeing actual photos of the Colosseum, I wanted to see how different artists interpreted the building. After some google searching I came upon this painting. Although I do not know the artists, its composition spoke to me. The many bright vibrant colours add life to this old building and show it in a different light. While it is obviously not red, orange, white and blue; I liked the fact the artist took the risk to illustrate it as such. Up close it just seems like a bunch of random colours but as you look at it more, the deliberate brush strokes and emotion put into the painting become very apparent. I also took inspiration from Leonid Afremov, the artist I researched for my 10 ten challenge. I attempted to use similar brush strokes and palette knife techniques as found in his expressive paintings.
3.) Medium/Materials: What mediums/materials didi you use (paper, acrylic paint, graphite etc,)? What were you successful with and what did you struggle with in using these materials?
This piece was created exclusively with acrylic paint on a canvas. I applied this paint by both brush and palette knife . In terms of brushes, I used a variety of different brush head sizes but they were all "flat" shaped. When using the palette knife, I applied paint in both horizontally and vertical orientations as well as on the side of the knife. I also discovered a new way to create a thick gloss texture using the palette knife. By using an excess of paint and then gently spreading it with the knife i was able to create the effect I wanted for the background. I think this technique will be helpful in my future paintings. I did have some technical problems however. I often found my self struggling to keep paints from mixing. Because I was using a variety colours, if I didn't let the paint dry before hand it would just become one clump and all my previous effort was covered. I think I will use the hair dryer more in the future to avoid this problem.
4.) Concept: How does this piece fit into the overall concept of your concentration? Has creating this piece made your idea more clear or forced you to move in a new direction?
This piece has definitely helped me develop my concentration. My idea has become more solidified and I now have a better understanding of the content I want to depict in my next pieces. I think this painting has been successful so far and I intend to replicate the process in my other paintings. I also have a better idea of the style of painting I want to use throughout my concentration. In both this piece and my university challenge I have had time to practice this "expressive" technique I enjoy using. I am starting to refine my skills as I move through the year my paintings will become more "precise". I look forward to finalizing this piece and creating more art.