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Art 3 Projects

CLASS projects will cover a variety of media skills and content and are designed to challenge your current skills and knowledge, preparing you for independent study next year and beyond. HOME projects will complement the work done in class while helping to develop your artistic vision/voice. It is your responsibility to create sketchbook PLANNING pages for each project presented below. This practice will allow you the time and space to learn, explore, prepare, be curious, and to generate ideas.  

Art 3 Gallery

CLASS: AbEx Painting (and color theory)

11/26/2018

 
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Sophia Johnston 2017 Scholastic Silver Key
ABSTRACTION is a general term but understanding its beginnings is helpful in understanding its many iterations throughout art history. Since the next unit of study will focus on Abstract Expressionism (AbEx), starting with a review of ABSTRACTION in general will be helpful. Additionally, this project will reinforce your investigation of the properties of ART (subject, composition, content) as well as the importance of COLOR.

WATCH:
READ:

​From 
MoMA Learning - Abstract Expressionism:

​
"Abstract Expressionism is a term applied to a movement in American painting that flourished in New York City after World War II, sometimes referred to as the New York School or, more narrowly, as action painting. The varied work produced by the Abstract Expressionists resists definition as a cohesive style; instead, these artists shared an interest in using abstraction to convey strong emotional or expressive content. These artists moved away from European traditions of painting to create a distinctly American kind of art, which both acknowledged and challenged the domination of early 20th century giants such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Vasily Kandinsky.
​

Abstract Expressionism is best known for large-scale paintings that break away from traditional processes, often taking the canvas off of the easel and using unconventional materials such as house paint. While Abstract Expressionism is often considered for its advancements in painting, its ideas had deep resonance in many media, including drawing and sculpture."

WATCH:
THINK:
  • IF A PAINTING IS NON-OBJECTIVE, DOES IT STILL HAVE A SUBJECT?
  • IF THE SUBJECT OF A PAINTING IS NON-REPRESENTATIONAL, IS COMPOSITION STILL IMPORTANT?  
  • IF A PAINTING IS NON-OBJECTIVE, CAN IT (SHOULD IT) HAVE CONTENT?  
  • IF A PAINTING IS NON-REPRESENTATIONAL, DOES COLOR CHOICE MATTER? 
Hopefully, you answered "YES" to all the questions above. You will have the opportunity to experience those answers while investigating the specific characteristics of AbEx painting:
  1. Gesture and mark-making (action painting)
  2. Paint type and application (media, tools, and processes)
  3. Layers and edges (figure/ground relationship)
  4. Color theory (perceived v. emotional responses)

​Speaking of color theory, GO TO THE COLOR PAGE. What do you already know? What do you need to review? What is completely new to you? Do you remember the terms below? From this list, which do you think are the most important in the context of AbEx painting?
  • LOCAL COLOR - the natural color of an object in ordinary daylight, uninfluenced by the proximity of other colors.
  • OPTICAL COLOR - the way a color appears, depending on the proximal colors and specific lighting situation.
  • ARBITRARY COLOR - color selected by the artist based on personal, emotional, or symbolic preferences and content of the work.​
Do you know about SIMULTANEOUS CONTRAST? It refers to the manner in which colors affect each other when placed close together (see OPTICAL COLOR). The term was coined by French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul, in his book, "The Principle of Harmony and Contrast of Colors," published in 1839. Artist Josef Albers continued to explore this concept in the 1950s. 
  • The video below illustrates the concept of simultaneous contrast. The colored square in the center is the SAME yellow throughout but APPEARS to be a different yellow, simply because of its surrounding color.  Pretty cool - and helps you to understand the importance of your color choices!
  • The video below further illustrates the concept of simultaneous contrast and gives you a chance to test your visual acuity. Again, the purpose here is to illustrate how powerful a tool simultaneous contrast is - and therefore drive home the importance of color choice to an artist.
AND THERE IS MORE! The resources below can further reinforce your understanding of simultaneous contrast:
  • Color is Relative (make sure to watch the jazzy little instructional video)
  • More explanations about simultaneous contrast with practice assignments​ (some of which you will do in class)
  • How to use Simultaneous Contrast in Painting​​

STILL CURIOUS ABOUT ABEX? HERE'S MORE:
  • YouTube playlist - AB EX NY at MoMA​
  • YouTube playlist - The Rules of Abstraction w/Michael Collings
  • The processes and materials of Abstract Expressionist painting
  • ​Female Abstract Expressionist Painters​
  • Jackson Pollock's First Love Was Sculpture, Not Painting
  • Mark Rothko - Seagram Murals -  National Gallery of Art (once on the page watch the video, which is  linked on the right)​
  • ​Heather Hansen - Kinetic drawing 

HOME: Self-Portrait/Old Master's Marks

11/5/2018

 
​What did you learn from copying the work of your Old Master?

Among other things, you should now have a better understanding and appreciation of the properties of drawing (right).

The next step is to create a self-portrait using these properties of drawing, along with the deliberate mimicry of your old master's mark.
Picture
Think about: SUBJECT - COMPOSITION - CONTENT:
  • The SUBJECT in this case will be YOU - you need to take a photograph that is illustrative of your personality. 
  • Your photograph should have a STRONG COMPOSITION because:
    1. Composition can make or break a work of art.
    2. Composition can communicate content. For example, are YOU static or dynamic? Your composition should follow suit.
  • The CONTENT of your work is your personality and what you are trying to communicate about yourself through both the composition and choice of pose, props, lighting, etc. You are still mimicking the old master's mark but everything else should be YOURS.

When taking/editing your photographs, consider the importance of lighting... LOOK FOR THE VALUES THAT YOU WILL BE DRAWING - THINK ABOUT HOW THE VALUES WILL BE TRANSLATED THROUGH MARK-MAKING.....Take many photographs so you can choose the best one; include your favorite options on your PLANNING page.

To help illustrate what was explained above, study previous examples of student work. Critique their use of the three properties of art PLUS their ability to mimic their Old Master's mark. Some examples are below and you are encouraged to explore more by looking at the Art 3 Gallery and searching through student website galleries HERE.
Rhiannon Doane, 2016
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Picture
Hana Kruse, 2016
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Picture
​Izumi Miyazaki, 2015
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Picture
Megan Lee, 2015
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Picture
AFTER consideration of the above information, and with help from teacher/classmates:
  • Choose the self-portrait photograph that you will use. Print it out.
  • Select your paper (same as before). Size it to match the proportion of your photograph, deckle the edges as needed.
  • Grid/sketch or use a "cartoon" process for transferring your image. Remember to go easy with the eraser to avoid damaging the paper.
  • Tone paper (optional/as needed) -  if you used a cartoon, you can tone first.
  • Start drawing with the selected medium and with the Old Master's mark!

KEEP your photograph and your Old Master's image side by side for the duration of this project. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE SAME MARK IS EMULATED IN YOUR SELF-PORTRAIT. Don't lose sight of that goal. Don't worry, you WILL be developing your own mark eventually! This continued study of your Old Master's mark is a way to further refine your skills through deliberate observation and practice.

DON'T FORGET!!! Take pictures of your daily progress & publish weekly PROCESS posts on your blog!!!

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