Individual Studio Thesis Paper Marie Strock

Individual Studio Thesis Paper
In the beginning, my original idea was to have a series of drawings that incorporated ink and watercolor pencils, the subject matter would be determined later. However, this was rapidly changed and the ideas were thrown out the window because I wanted to experiment with acrylics. The idea of having a better understanding of acrylics enticed me, and that’s where the foundation for all of my semester’s work built itself from. The number of paintings that I have completed actually fit the expectations that I had from the beginning, which was 4 to 5 works. Having 6 completed works really feels like an accomplishment seeing as the time I spent on them was not expected. I spent more time on these paintings then any in my other classes. I did not expect the amount time that I would actually spend calculating how to make the colors blend just the way I wanted them to.
The actual experience included trying to fit in more time than I really had, which resulted in a lot of frantic nights trying to finish off my work from the first project onward. The actual experience this semester was not too far off to what I expected, but the results were. I feel like I accomplished more than I thought I would due to the time constraints. Usually, work ethic is not a problem for me, especially when it’s cold outside; I find things are easier to do. Once the warm weather hit, I have to admit, my work ethic plunged. I had to activate a timer in my mind to keep myself motivated on my work. I succeeded, but it was not easy to say the least.
The proposal that I had come up with in the beginning of the semester was to get a deeper understand of whichever material that I had decided to work with and to have a definite understanding of what direction that I want to head into. I definitely grasped a larger understanding of the materials that I am working with. I had realized the theme that I wanted to incorporate in the final show, so I decided to turn the first three projects into works that could be put into the show, since I seem to take a while to complete certain works depending on size and detail. The works were based on a specific style, in this case manga/anime. The realization of the theme came not long after I had written the proposal and the artists that I was referencing to.
The pieces that I have completed are all 16x20 canvases’s done with acrylic paint. They are all based on the manga/anime theme, but each piece represents a different theme/issue. For example, one of my pieces represents breast cancer; another one addresses the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. However, the title of that piece does not state the year or reason, most people will mistake it for the Italian flag. However, if they look at the title, they will notice a difference. These are the ideas that I try to communicate through my pieces, to look beyond the painting, look at the title and see how it relates the second or third glance around.
In working with acrylic paint, I have found that there are so many ways to manipulate the way that the paint will flow and react on canvas and other things. I experiment with the different color variations and how they could be blended into different colors, shades and tones. The real difficulty was deciding which colors would set a certain mood within the characters that I was creating on the canvas and how they could be expressed, whether the painting need that certain special detail or not. The techniques that I have developed are really just ways to interpret color in thinner lines, a gradation of different colors and sizes that would influence the entire feel of my pieces and how others interpret them. The way that the colors laid themselves out really influenced the direction that I wanted to go with the theme of my pieces and the nature of the individual pieces.
The comments and critiques that I have received really pushed the way that I have thought about the way that the pieces were developed. They really helped me to push the envelope with the way that I constructed the pieces and to the length of progress that each piece received. A lot of the feedback included maybe changing my signature or just changing something they thought could be better added to the piece. Some of the comments helped me decide what direction to take with these pieces. I received positive responses with the first piece and after that I decided that every other piece would fall into place.
The manga/art movement started in the 60’s really pushed my understanding of creating my own characters. The freedom of being able to have anatomically incorrect drawings look proportional is a unique experience to bring to life. While graphic novels are usually printed in black and white, being able to paint my characters in rich color is something that really brings out all of the color possibilities with lines that I didn’t think of before. With graphic novels a lot of lines tend to be left open and not completed, giving a sense of movement that way, but by adding color and closing the lines the character’s personality almost pop off the canvas. I feel that the emotion and feel of my characters are better brought out with color than with black and white.
The main influence from these manga artists is the fact that I like the way that the characters are drawn, that in effect, appeals to me. As well as the eyes; the eyes are the window to the soul. I firmly believe in that quote and that is one of the other main qualities about that style that has attracted me so much. The free-form ability to give personality to the paintings was one of the driving forces behind my work. The way that the characters stare back out at the viewer is the part that I am interested in. The reaction, that is one of the techniques that I was practicing while painting my pieces, I wanted them to stand out and really look back at the viewer with the same, intense gaze or stare. That there is something behind the eyes, hair, and facial features. The whole movement of the pieces are meant to capture attention; they are fast and punchy, with a softness as well.
Since the 1980’s, the manga movement really took off and created a whole new pop culture for other artists to follow as well, creating stories and characters of imagination that provided an almost movie-like experience with the way that the characters are created. The pace is so action-packed that the viewer races through the pages to get the entire story and complete the adrenaline rush. The same concept with comics is the concept that I wanted to create with my paintings. The paintings are fast paced, but instead of running off, they are contained by the edges of the canvas.
With the artists that I have met with, I would have to say that I was the most impressed with Emil Lukas. Emil Lukas really inspired me not only because of his artwork, but how he works. With his studio he seems so at ease and unpressured and yet so focused with producing his work. Even though I would never do it, the fly larvae were a wonderful new idea that I am sure no one has probably thought of. The way that he presents himself even is fantastic to see. To be able to produce work in such an attitude and effortless way and to be alone like that is another impression in itself.
This made me think long and hard about what it means to be a “professional artist”… what it means to me is that you work hard at creating/producing your work/being successful, while having fun and enjoying what you do. If you don’t enjoy what you do for a job, then it is not really worth having or doing. The point of being artist is being passionate about what you create and who you are as an artist. If you are influencing people, then your work has paid off, not everything has to be on a grand scale and if you are really pushing yourself and your abilities, then there is always an open road to follow, or at least a window to climb out of. I personally think that a professional demeanor is also involved in being an artist and respecting the work of others even if you do not like their work. I don’t believe in snubbing other’s work at first because I find that I may grow to like it.
Although the art world may be cruel to young and striving artists, there are many contributing factors that can and cannot be helped. Whether people like your work or do not like your work, usually there is someone that will. The point of being an artist is to exhibit your work and not care what others tend to think about any particular subject. That’s the whole goal of art, to try things that were not tried before and if they were; put a new spin on it.
When starting the beginning of the semester, I had a canvas; some brushes and paint. I had the option of creating a self-portrait that was unique to me. So I decided to do it with my style involved. I created an all over sepia tone and paid the most attention to the dimensions of the hair. With special attention to the color of the eyes, I was wondering what else to connect the green color with—plus I had to use a found object. I found a bunch of buttons and decided that they were perfect for all the colors that I could use for my character’s eyes. This would be the connection. According to some critiques, the painting still needed something else, so I decided to put in black lace so that the character didn’t disappear off of the page. Afterwards, I was much happier with the result and it pleased me to know that I didn’t screw it up after I had declared it to be done.
The second piece of artwork that I attempted had to deal with a personal issue or something that you found important. I decided since I have recently have a couple of aunts with breast cancer, I decided it would be a powerful thing for me to incorporate. Since I decided I would go along with the “girl” anime theme. It was unusual to paint black hair, since I did not know when to stop with the highlights, this painting gave me the most trouble with the hair. I decided to make the color of her shirt red to symbolize the breasts. Her facial expression is shocked and there is a pink button on her shirt which is the only button that does not match the character’s eyes in my series. Instead it matches the pink breast cancer-shaped ribbons that I put in her hair. The background is green for the reason that hospitals usually paint their walls green as it is the most universally calming color for patients. The point of this work is that it can happen to anyone, which is the reason why it is a little girl and not a grown woman.
The third piece, which is not in the show but was still done for the class as part of the Navajo project was the third “girl” in the series. She was portrayed as part coyote. Coyotes in the Navajo culture represent mischief. I wanted the character to come off as a bit mischievous looking but also with a “far off” look. I painted a “sand painting” in the background with some of the traditional colors and faded it off to make it look worn and old. The background for this painting looks like the night sky to symbolize unity and the universe to try and bring the culture together.
The fourth piece I changed up a little bit to include the “dog family” and tie the “coyote” factor in. I put in a landscape that was softer and has a fading type of feel. The wolf was painted in a yellow to keep light within the painting and to give it a balanced focal point. The whole process of this painting really challenged me as I had no experience in painting landscapes, I never really tried, so something like this was completely new to me. I was also interested in trying to paint water again. Water seems to be the hardest thing for me to paint, especially rocks in water. Most of this painting is painted with my fingers more than with a paintbrush. I need to blend with my fingers because they spread the paint more thinly, better than a brush. When I would use the brush and paint too thin; it would take the paint off of the canvas, so I resorted to using my fingers. When it was done I was happy when the painting had a pastel-like quality as I don’t like using the paints to thickly in order to achieve certain effects.
The fifth piece was a continuation and final part of the “girls” triptych, and it includes a historical reference to it as well. The background is the Hungarian flag, spattered with a deep red to emphasize blood and struggle. The girl has tattered hair and a shirt whose ends are still burning. I was inspired to do this piece after seeing a documentary about the country and the Revolution of 1956. It is a powerful piece that I am sure many will confuse with the Italian flag, if they read the title with the piece, “Power Hungary” hopefully they will get the message. However, it is not really imperative that they get that right away, the most important part is if they feel the struggle within it. That’s what I hope to achieve with this piece.
The sixth and final piece was done to balance out the wolf/coyote spectrum that I had finished earlier. The piece is done with white silhouettes of wolves howling up into the night sky where the Aurora Borealis is above them. This was done to represent the spirits of the night sky and northern part of the world as well as the effects of global warming, hence the title, “Fading Borealis”. The piece is done with simple lines and a color contrast background, the second piece of mine with a black and white background representing the night sky/universe. This piece and the previous wolf piece both relate as they are both talking about different fading worlds. In these worlds hopefully their time will not disappear and that they will be able to thrive in these areas for a long time to come.
Art represented in this style not only defines how I use line and color, but how the color and lines define what people see in my artwork. This work not only represents what is right in front of the viewer, but addresses issues that may not be seen the first time, or at least until you see the title. The pieces that are here were not only work driven, but were also painted at times when the little kid inside of me was telling me to go outside and enjoy the weather, while the perfectionist was telling me to get the colors right and to re-do some of my mistakes. The influence of Anime/Manga is very prevalent in my pieces, the “cartoony” look really emphasizes the issues within the work. While there is a sense of confinement with the lines, there can be so much to put in that space.