Oil Painting
Medium: oil paints Completion November 2022 Exhibition Text The belief of a guardian angel is assigned to protect and guide a particular person. When my dad died everyone told me that I had gained a guardian angel by my side. By painting a picture from when I was younger with my dad and adding guardian angel wings, can show how one could belief this idea. Being inspired by Grant Woods American Gothic, can help the viewer see the realistic side of the painting along with the traditional beliefs of a guardian angel. |
Inspiration
My inspiration for this painting was American Gothic by Grant Wood. Grant Wood was one of America’s most popular Regionalist painters in the 1930’s. Grant Wood strove to depict archetypal rural subjects that embodied the values of hard work, community, and had good manners. Looking at American Gothic for the first time many believe it is a realistic painting, which is true. When comparing the house in the background of the painting to the actual house from the reference picture, it was clear Wood was going for the realistic style. Wood wanted to show homes as extensions of the homeowners. In rural America, a home not only signified family but also the mutual hard work of its members, and as the family’s greatest financial possession. An important compositional element of the painting is the window on the house. It has two equal arches, capped by the oddly shaped pane that joins them together from the top. Looking at the painting the window is duplicated with the two halves of the window repeated by the two human figures standing side by side. The roof of the house visually joins the man and woman in the same way the pane of glass joins the two arches of the window. Throughout the painting the repetition of patterns is present. Repetition of vertical lines, particularly visible in the hay-fork, white shirt, overalls, and the battens on the house and barn in the background. The man and women in the painting Wood stated were father and daughter. The expressions on their face mean nothing besides the fact they come from early photographs where photographers didn’t want the models to smile. |
Planning
I started by going through old pictures of me and my dad. I decided to stick with pictures from when I was younger, just because I felt it connected with the idea of having protection over someone especially when they are a young kid. I decided on a picture from Halloween, when I was dressed up as Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. I liked this picture the best because the background was of a wall, so when looking at the picture the viewers eyes go to my dad and me. I started out by sketching how to draw out bodies because I wanted this painting to look realistic. After thinking about how I was going to paint the painting, I was wondering how it would look if I had it blurry, and not add as much detail. I was debating between doing this and could not decide so I just left both options open until it was time to paint those details. I knew no matter what style I painted I wanted to add the repetition of patterns from lines in American Gothic by Grant Wood to different aspects in my painting. I knew I could do this with the Belle costume and different elements throughout the picture.
I started by going through old pictures of me and my dad. I decided to stick with pictures from when I was younger, just because I felt it connected with the idea of having protection over someone especially when they are a young kid. I decided on a picture from Halloween, when I was dressed up as Belle, from Beauty and the Beast. I liked this picture the best because the background was of a wall, so when looking at the picture the viewers eyes go to my dad and me. I started out by sketching how to draw out bodies because I wanted this painting to look realistic. After thinking about how I was going to paint the painting, I was wondering how it would look if I had it blurry, and not add as much detail. I was debating between doing this and could not decide so I just left both options open until it was time to paint those details. I knew no matter what style I painted I wanted to add the repetition of patterns from lines in American Gothic by Grant Wood to different aspects in my painting. I knew I could do this with the Belle costume and different elements throughout the picture.
Process
I started by adding a light blue wash to my canvas. I choice this color because I felt it was similar to the walls in the background of the picture. I also liked the idea of having a light blue wash because their was a blue undertone throughout the whole picture. I then adding the grid once the wash dried, I used a 1x1 inch square grid. I then added the outlines of the figures I was going to draw. This included the couch, blanket, me and my dad. I then went in with a base color for the wall, I wanted to match up the colors as best as I could. I also added a dark blue base coat on where the blanket on the couch should be. I started on my dads hat because it was the closet thing to the top of the painting making it the easiest to work on. I then started to add different layers of neutral colors to help cover up the blue wash. I did this for the couch and the clothes that my dad and I were wearing. I started with the hat my dad was wearing and the blue blanket right by his head. This was easy because they were solid colors I just needed to build up the colors by having different layers. |
I then added a base coat of yellow for the dress I was wearing. I then worked on the faces. I started with a skin tone and mixed in brown to add different shadows around the chin area. I started to work on my dads jeans at this step. I first painted them a jean colored blue and added gray over them to get the worn jean look. This process was struggle to get it how I wanted to look because I wanted to keep the blended style but make the look like jeans at the same time. I also added black shadows to my dads shirt just for it to be easier when I started to stipple the details on.
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I started to stipple on white and black to add details and the shadows. I then worked on the green blanket and the couch. I added base coats of tan and green. I then went in with a darker tan and added lines to where the details of the fabric and making it look more like a couch and not just a blob. I did the same thing with the green blanket by adding darker green lines to show the quilted material. I also went back in to fix any missing spots around the ears and darkened the face shadows.
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Once I got the faces to look like how I imagined I started the final details of my dress. I went back in with another coat of yellow and once that was sightly dry I started to stipple in a darker yellow-brown color for the shadows. I then added hair and my yellow headband which was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I then went in with different shades of pink to add the roses on my Belle dress. I wanted to make these pop against the other colors. At this final stage I wanted to make sure I had every little detail I wanted, especially around the faces and the neck.
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Reflection
Overall I am happy with how the painting turned out. I felt like I captured a moment that is close to my heart between me and my dad. This was my first time doing a painting where I blurred the faces and the clothing. I like them simplest style while also have a lot of meaning behind the piece. I feel like this piece was the most abstract piece I have ever done. Normally I try to keep all my paintings in the realism with a hint of impressionism but this time I did my own thing. This project was the first one I have ever done where I went in knowing what I wanted to do, and the finished project was completely different.
Compare and Contrast
Similarities
Overall I am happy with how the painting turned out. I felt like I captured a moment that is close to my heart between me and my dad. This was my first time doing a painting where I blurred the faces and the clothing. I like them simplest style while also have a lot of meaning behind the piece. I feel like this piece was the most abstract piece I have ever done. Normally I try to keep all my paintings in the realism with a hint of impressionism but this time I did my own thing. This project was the first one I have ever done where I went in knowing what I wanted to do, and the finished project was completely different.
Compare and Contrast
Similarities
- I had two people be the main focal point in the painting and in American Gothic by Grant Wood the main focal point was a father and daughter also.
- I used different patterns whether they were in blankets, the couch or clothing I used these patterns to help create shadows and contrast, along with relate it back to my inspiration.
- I didn’t add the details- I went for the blurred affect whereas American Gothic by Grant Wood had details everywhere.
- The background- in American Gothic by Grant Wood, he had different elements to help showcase what the painting was about, whereas in my painting I kept the background as plain as possible to showcase the bodies.
Critique
Overall I am happy with how the project turned out. If I were to change a few things about the project I think it would be the hands. I wanted to use the same technique I did with the rest of the body for the hands. At first I thought they would turn out good but after looking at them for awhile they don’t really look like hands. I know if this really bothers me I could go back in and add more details. I would also maybe to my dads jeans different next time, I wanted to keep with the blurred effect but it was a challenge. They never really looked like jeans but I just left them because I didn’t want to add to much where it just looked muddy. Overall I liked trying this new style of painting but I don’t think I would ever paint in this style again, just because it was a challenge for the clothes and body parts.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The cause and effect relationship between the different pieces of artwork is that Grant Wood used different techniques that I tried to use in my project as well.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The theme of self-expression and how the idea of guardian angels is presented after someone dies.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have come to the conclusion that most people believe in guardian angels after someone important passed away, and it’s not just a small idea.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The overall theme around my project was self-expression. I wanted to show that even though you lose someone they will always be with you.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The inferences I made were that Grant Wood likes to changes peoples viewpoints on a typical Midewest home.
Bibliography
https://americangothichouse.org/american-gothic
Overall I am happy with how the project turned out. If I were to change a few things about the project I think it would be the hands. I wanted to use the same technique I did with the rest of the body for the hands. At first I thought they would turn out good but after looking at them for awhile they don’t really look like hands. I know if this really bothers me I could go back in and add more details. I would also maybe to my dads jeans different next time, I wanted to keep with the blurred effect but it was a challenge. They never really looked like jeans but I just left them because I didn’t want to add to much where it just looked muddy. Overall I liked trying this new style of painting but I don’t think I would ever paint in this style again, just because it was a challenge for the clothes and body parts.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork?
The cause and effect relationship between the different pieces of artwork is that Grant Wood used different techniques that I tried to use in my project as well.
What is the overall approach the author has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The theme of self-expression and how the idea of guardian angels is presented after someone dies.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I have come to the conclusion that most people believe in guardian angels after someone important passed away, and it’s not just a small idea.
What is the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
The overall theme around my project was self-expression. I wanted to show that even though you lose someone they will always be with you.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
The inferences I made were that Grant Wood likes to changes peoples viewpoints on a typical Midewest home.
Bibliography
https://americangothichouse.org/american-gothic