Illustration 2
Planting Trees
Size: 30.48 cm x 40.64 cm Medium: Gouache on Illustration Board Date: November, 2017 Planting Trees is inspired by Vincent Van Gogh and accompanies my first Illustration piece, Man in Sorrow. However, this piece depicts a positive modern adaption. This piece depicts people planting trees in an effort to help the deteriorating environment. This demonstrates how even though the environment is on the road of destruction, there is still a way to make an improvement. This advocates for the environment’s well being, and encourages positive action rather than sorrow. |
Critical Investigation
This is one page from my sketchbook about my critical investigation
"The Red Vineyard" by Vincent Van Gogh
“Red Vineyards at Arles, 1888 by Vincent Van Gogh.” Vincent Van Gogh, 2009, www.vincentvangogh.org/the-red-vineyard.jsp |
"Olive Trees With Yellow Sky And Sun" by Vincent Van Gogh
“Olive Trees With Yellow Sky And Sun by Vincent Van Gogh.” Vincent Van Gogh, 2009, https://www.vincentvangogh.org/olive-trees-with-yellow-sky-and-sun.jsp |
For this illustration, I had to recreate a piece of art and put it into our modern era to depict a positive aspect. First, the idea for the negative modern adaption came about using “Old Man in Sorrow” to express the lament towards the deteriorating environment. To create a positive adaption, I had to keep in mind to use a similar theme but turn it positive. To come up with an idea, I continued researching Van Gogh art because I knew I still wanted this piece to also be impressionistic. I then came across Van Gogh’s “The Red Vineyard,” where people are seen picking grapes for wine. Van Gogh was particularly captivated by the local vineyard in Arles, especially during autumn. He painted "The Red Vineyard" in order to capture the beauty of the vineyard during an autumn evening, when the leaves are vibrant red and yellow with a glistening sun reflecting on the river. This piece immediately inspired the idea of depicting people planting trees for a modern positive adaption, which shows how even though the environment is deteriorating there is still a way to make improvement as this advocates for the environment’s well-being. I then came across “Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun” by Vincent Van Gogh, which went along with the idea I just came up with. Van Gogh painted this because while in the asylum he received a letter from his friend, Emile Bernard. This letter contained Emile's new painting of Christ in the Garden of Olives, and Van Gogh said that he'd much rather paint the olive trees outside his window. I decided that I wanted to paint similar trees and a similar sky seen in this piece, as it they were brighter showing a more happy and positive mood which I wanted to have a similar mood within my piece. Whereas, in the “The Red Vineyard” it is somewhat gloomy due to the darker hues. “The Red Vineyard” inspired my idea, the subjects, style, color, line, and texture used in my final piece. Because my final piece includes the same subjects and style, with similar color, line, texture, and even movement. Furthermore, “Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun” inspired the way I’d paint the trees and sky. But also the way I’d paint the sky to create a happy mood, along with a similar use of color, line, and texture.
Process
1. Research/Planning
As this piece needed to accompany the first Illustration piece, Man in Sorrow, I needed to do research on how it could connect to it. Because Man in Sorrow depicted a weeping man due to the region of deforestation, I knew that this positive adaption should connect by depicting people planting trees. Then, all I needed to do was find a painting that I could modify into this idea. I was able to come across "The Red Vineyard" by Van Gogh, which I thought was perfect for depicting people planting trees. Then, I simply sketched this idea in my sketchbook to make sure it was doable and to my liking.
2. Sketch onto Board
3. Painting
This is a photo of a page from my sketchbook about my painting process
|
Before I began painting with gouache, I started with a watercolor wash to serve as a base coat and make it easier to cover up the white board. Then, I started by painting the skyline. First, I mixed a variety of yellows and oranges for the sun. Then, I took a round brush and sometimes the side of a flat brush to paint long thin strokes of various warm colors in the movement I wanted. Then, I took a clean moist flat brush to partially blend the strokes. I then painted the trees in the skyline using this similar method. After this I applied a darker wash onto the grass ans outlined the figures. Then I painted the river and the grass using the method described before. However, I used different colors than I originally planned to use for in the river.
|
For the foreground of the grass, I created a different texture than the rest because I wanted to create an area of dirt as seen in the original "The Red Vineyard." I did this by using a flat brush in a patting motion to apply the paint. Once this was done, I finished painting the figures using a fine tip round brush. And lastly, I painted the trees within the grass by first painting the a bunch of brown tree stumps with other strokes of color in it. Then I tried to paint the trees similar to Van Gogh's olive trees by using similar brushstrokes and colors.
Experimentation
This entire project was essentially an experiment, as this was my very first time working with gouache. It was new for me getting used to how quickly it can dry and blends with water, since I'm so used to working with oil paint. Since this was a new medium for me, I had to experiment with how to blend it to my liking. I tried simply using water and smoothing it with a brush, which only worked well sometimes. The best way I found was to create a middle hue from the two colors you want to blend, and using a little bit of water to blend them. I also had to experiment with using water, which sounds strange, but the amount of water added seriously affects the texture. Therefore, I had to figure out the perfect balance of paint to water and when to use more or less water for what I was painting.
Reflection
I am somewhat pleased with the final piece, some parts turned out much better than I thought while others turned out not very well. For instance, the skyline and river are very pleasing to me due to the hues and blending. I feel as though these areas accomplish the post-impressionist style very elegantly. However, the grass, trees, and figures look poor to me. I feel as though I could've done a much better job. I don't like the blending and it doesn't look very impressionist to me. I think this is because I would like a different degree of detail that I didn't properly execute. For some reason painting the grass and trees the way I wanted was very challenging, thus I settled for what I had done. If I had more patience and time, I definitely would've done much better.
Furthermore, the connection with my inspirations are quite apparent. Obviously since I essentially used the same figures using similar color, line, texture, and value seen in Van Gogh's "The Red Vineyard." In addition, throughout the whole piece I used a similar impressionist style as seen in the sky and river. But especially within the sky, one can see inspirations from Van Gogh as I use line, movement, and color similarly. Also, there is a connection with "Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun" as there is a similarity between the trees due to the similar use of color and line. Also, within the sky there is a large similarity as I use similar hues, line, and movement.
Furthermore, the connection with my inspirations are quite apparent. Obviously since I essentially used the same figures using similar color, line, texture, and value seen in Van Gogh's "The Red Vineyard." In addition, throughout the whole piece I used a similar impressionist style as seen in the sky and river. But especially within the sky, one can see inspirations from Van Gogh as I use line, movement, and color similarly. Also, there is a connection with "Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun" as there is a similarity between the trees due to the similar use of color and line. Also, within the sky there is a large similarity as I use similar hues, line, and movement.
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.
"The Red Vineyard" by Van Gogh not only inspired the idea but the figures as I used the same figures using similar color, line, texture, and value. In addition, there is a connection with "Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun" as there is a similarity between the trees due to the similar use of color and line. Also, within the sky there is a large similarity as I use similar hues, line, and movement.
2. What is the overall approach (point of view) the author (from your research) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Van Gogh was particularly captivated by the local vineyard in Arles, especially during autumn. He painted "The Red Vineyard" in order to capture the beauty of the vineyard during an autumn evening, when the leaves are vibrant red and yellow with a glistening sun reflecting on the river. Van Gogh painted "Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun" because while in the asylum he received a letter which contained his friend Emile's new painting of Christ in the Garden of Olives, and Van Gogh said that he'd much rather paint the olive trees outside his window.
3. What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I discovered that artists use their surroundings and passions as inspirations for their own art work to express a certain passion or emotion. Due to how Van Gogh painted "The Red Vineyard" because he loved its beauty and painted "Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun" because he mentioned how he'd much rather paint the olive trees outside his window.
4. What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
This pieced depicts people planting trees in an effort to help the deteriorating environment. This demonstrates how even though the environment is on the road of destruction, there is still a way to make an improvement. This advocates for the environment’s well being, and encourages positive action rather than 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 that artists obviously use their surroundings as inspiration for their work. In addition, due to Van Gogh's use of bright colors and post-impressionist style I can see how he influenced the fauvist movement, as fauvism uses a lot of bright and vibrant colors.
Bibliography
“Red Vineyards at Arles, 1888 by Vincent Van Gogh.” Vincent Van Gogh, 2009, www.vincentvangogh.org/the-red-vineyard.jsp
“Olive Trees With Yellow Sky And Sun by Vincent Van Gogh.” Vincent Van Gogh, 2009, https://www.vincentvangogh.org/olive-trees-with-yellow-sky-and-sun.jsp
“Olive Trees With Yellow Sky And Sun by Vincent Van Gogh.” Vincent Van Gogh, 2009, https://www.vincentvangogh.org/olive-trees-with-yellow-sky-and-sun.jsp