Project 5
Approaching Acceptance
Size: 51 cm x 66 cm Medium: Watercolor Crayon & Colored Pencil on Grey Paper Date: November, 2018 This piece represents the approach to the last stage of the grieving process - acceptance. Inspired by artist Fred Hatt, this piece depicts a near encounter with acceptance since not enough time has not gone by to fully embrace acceptance. This is shown by the facial expression that depicts pleasant reflections yet sorrow. |
***click to enlarge
Critical Investigation
Hatt, Fred. Untitled. 2008. Aquarelle crayon on paper. Private Collection.
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Schiele, Egon. Seated Woman with Bent Knee. 1917. Watercolor, Crayon, Gouache on Paper. Private Collection
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For this project I was mostly inspired by Fred Hatt’s technique which made me want to revisit a similar technique I used for my “Anger” piece. However, Hatt inspired me to use aquarelle crayons instead or oil pastel not only because I liked how Hatt’s pieced turned out but also because in my “Anger” piece I used colored pencils which wasn’t the best since the pigment easily smeared. I continued researching Fred Hatt’s portraits, in which he used chaotic colors, textures, and lines, making the portrait look somber and melancholic. This inspired me to do a portrait of myself in that similar technique because I thought the similar use of chaotic colors, line, and texture would communicate my acceptance as it’s a chaotic and melancholic journey to that stage which shows how I’m still going through it and can’t fully accept yet. To counteract the melancholy and show my approach to acceptance, I wanted myself to be slightly smiling which shows that I am able to find happiness in the reality of it despite how I’m not quite able to fully accept. I then continued to research acceptance art and I came across the artist Egon Schiele. Schiele is an expressionist artist who often painted nudes that were arranged in awkward and exaggerated positions. However, Seated Woman with Bent Knee is particularly not in such an exaggerated position and looks more natural. This position looked as though she was contemplating something in a calm and comfortable manner. This inspired me on how I could further communicate my acceptance because I can contemplate life and it’s new possibilities due to the loss in a more calm way, however I haven’t been able to fully embrace acceptance and thus wouldn’t show myself completely carefree and happy. Fred Hatt’s art, particularly inspired the facial expression and how I’d use color, texture, and line to communicate my approach to acceptance. While Egon Schiele inspired how I would position myself to show I am able to calmly contemplate to show my approach to acceptance.
Process
Planning
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After researching and arriving to a rough idea of what I wanted to create, I began sketching to have a more finalized idea. I began with sketching a natural pose I often find myself in while contemplating or reminiscing, which was inspired by Schiele's Seated Woman with Bent Knee. I then colored it in with colored pencils to map out the possible colors I would use. I then drew this sketch on grey paper and practiced using the watercolor crayons in order to experiment with how to use it before I began my final piece. While coloring this experimental drawing, I found that using the crayons alone were difficult because they didn't offer any sharp edges I could use in more small or precise areas. This lead me to use the crayons along with colored pencils, as the pencils could do more detail work and crayons could cover larger areas like the skin and hair.
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Drawing
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After my experimental drawing, I began the final piece by first sketching out the figure with a white chalk pencil. I started coloring the eyes by using a violet blue for the outer iris, light blue for the middle to create a gradation, black for the pupil and occasionally using white to help blend. I continued with outlining the inner eyes with crimson, white for the waterline, and white and grey for the whites of the eyes. I then continued by outlining the creases and shadows of the eyes with black and/or violet blue colored pencil. After the eyes I roughly mapped out the highlights and shadows with white, burnt umber, and black watercolor crayon. I then colored the facial skin with alternating between salmon pink, yellow, and white crayon. I then moved onto the lips, which I first outlined in black and colored the lip creases in black to create some depth. I then went in with crimson and white colored pencil, and finished it with brilliant red crayon.
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Once I finished the lips, I reinforced the highlight around the lips with white and created a cupid's bow by using grey above the top lip that disrupted the white highlight. I then continued with the nose and eyebrows, then finalized the skin by making sure to accurately color the highlights, shadows, and any discoloration I wanted such as seen under the eyes. Once I felt like the face was complete I moved onto coloring the hair with blue, violet blue, light blue, and mostly black. I then finished my coloring the hand, neck, and shirt along with a slight color of blue, red, and green in the background.
Experimentation
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I first experimented with oil pastel prior to purchasing the crayons. I already had oil pastels and so I wanted to see how they would work for this project. I practiced with a simple portrait of myself to get a feel for how they would work. I discovered that I did not like them much because it was hard to create detail and because of their thick and oily texture, which is something I didn't think would bother me. I did research into Fred Hatt's work and discovered he used watercolor crayon and so I thought these would solve any issues. I then practiced using the watercolor crayons in order to experiment with how to use it before I began my final piece. I discovered that the crayons alone were difficult because they didn't offer any sharp edges I could use in more small or precise areas. This lead me to use the crayons along with colored pencils, as the pencils could do more detail work and crayons could cover larger areas like the skin and hair.
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This is one page from my sketchbook about my experimentation
Reflection
I'm very happy with my final piece because it turned out better than I had envisioned, especially since this is the first I've worked with watercolor crayon. Furthermore, I think this piece successfully shows my battle to acceptance. The color used is mostly dark, especially in my face and hair there's a lot of dark blues and black that intensify my look to be more melancholic and somber. However, the contrast of the smile shows my ability to find happiness and calmness despite the circumstances, which is a huge step for me and the step necessary for acceptance. In addition, I tried to further communicate this by wearing a yellow shirt which is a color often associated with happiness.
Fred Hatt inspired me to use aquarelle crayons since the oil pastels did not work out for me. In addition, Fred Hatt’s portraits often included chaotic colors, textures, and lines, making the portrait look somber and melancholic. This inspired me to do a portrait of myself in that similar technique because it helps to communicate my acceptance as it’s a chaotic and melancholic journey to that stage which shows how I’m still going through it and can’t fully accept yet. I think I used his style successfully, which took a few practices and there's still room for improvement. But I think I found a second favorite medium besides paint, and I can't wait to continue improving and evolving this technique. Egon Schiele's Seated Woman with Bent Knee looked as though the subject was contemplating something in a calm and comfortable manner. This inspired me on how I could further communicate my acceptance because I can contemplate life and it’s new possibilities due to the loss in a more calm way, however I haven’t been able to fully embrace acceptance and thus wouldn’t show myself completely carefree and happy.
Fred Hatt inspired me to use aquarelle crayons since the oil pastels did not work out for me. In addition, Fred Hatt’s portraits often included chaotic colors, textures, and lines, making the portrait look somber and melancholic. This inspired me to do a portrait of myself in that similar technique because it helps to communicate my acceptance as it’s a chaotic and melancholic journey to that stage which shows how I’m still going through it and can’t fully accept yet. I think I used his style successfully, which took a few practices and there's still room for improvement. But I think I found a second favorite medium besides paint, and I can't wait to continue improving and evolving this technique. Egon Schiele's Seated Woman with Bent Knee looked as though the subject was contemplating something in a calm and comfortable manner. This inspired me on how I could further communicate my acceptance because I can contemplate life and it’s new possibilities due to the loss in a more calm way, however I haven’t been able to fully embrace acceptance and thus wouldn’t show myself completely carefree and happy.
This is one page from my sketchbook about reflection
Connecting to the ACT
1. Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
Fred Hatt’s art, particularly inspired the facial expression and how I’d use color, texture, and line to communicate my approach to acceptance. While Egon Schiele inspired how I would position myself to show I am able to calmly contemplate to show my approach to acceptance.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Fred Hat and Egon Schiele created nudes of people to depict the vulnerability of certain poses which express sadness, exhaustion, and even comfort. Hatt explains that his art is “an art of movement, rhythm, and feeling.”
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I can generalize that people are inspired by different things. Fred Hatt's art was an art of movement, rhythm, and feeling and Egon Schiele's art was rather inspired by sexuality.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
This piece represents the approach to the last stage of the grieving process - acceptance. Which depicts a near encounter with acceptance since not enough time has not gone by to fully embrace acceptance. This is shown by the facial expression that depicts pleasant reflections yet sorrow.
5. What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
I can infer Schiele's art was considered radical and profane during the time, because the culture was more serious and traditional.
Bibliography
Hatt, Fred. Nude Portraits , www.fredhatt.com/nude_portraits_pages/alley.html.
“Seated Woman with Bent Knee - Egon Schiele.” USEUM, useum.org/artwork/Seated-Woman-with-Bent-Knee-Egon-Schiele-1917.
“Seated Woman with Bent Knee - Egon Schiele.” USEUM, useum.org/artwork/Seated-Woman-with-Bent-Knee-Egon-Schiele-1917.