Concept [2]

Many artists may have seen Cubism as a revolutionary visual language, since the paintings are very descriptive. It would be also interesting to create a poster representing the revolutionary art movement. A revolution, by itself is a great change in the society; therefore transformation. Otherwise it should present the image of a historic revolution, which took place at the same time when Cubism was born. The idea was certainly inspired from the fine-art inspired adverts and works related to the same team. I would use Cezanne’s techniques and then shift to Cubism, including some portraiture influenced from Picasso. I will use some paintings of Picasso which I mentioned before to help create these portraits. The text of the poster should be placed on, like a collage with newspaper text. The joiner which I composed shown in the previous blog post, will certainly help me in the development of such idea.  These images are some early ideas about how I should handle this concept.

The layout of the poster.

A contour drawing of a portrait inspired form Picasso.

Concept [1]

As part of the research to help me create my final concept, I conducted research in the 3 categories; Art, Design and Film. The final visual product concept, can take various forms such as dummy/pilot/poster/sketch and more.  I’m not sure in what form I would like to represent my ideas yet but I have two different ideas that can fit for the final concept. The first idea is to portray the transformation from Post-Impressionism to Cubism. Pablo Picasso, the leader of the Cubist period refers to Cezanne as the “the father of us all”. Having said that, I would rely on these two artists to give me the help I need to finish such concept. In the concept, I also would like to make a reference to the film which I reviewed ‘The four feathers’ and also the transformation of Picasso’s portraiture. I would most definitely use red as the main colour, since it is suggesting the film ‘The four feathers’. 

The poster shown here created by Andrew Nawroski, shows a contribution to two different periods, Cubism because of its collage and how the text is placed in the poster. In the middle, the image presents Vincent Van Gogh, a Post-Impressionist artist.

Living Parision Poster of Van Gogh Aged 13 [Number 8.7 Billion].

References:

Nawroski Andrew, 2011. Living Parisian Poster of Van Gogh Aged 13 [Number 8.7 Billion], [blog] 11 April.

Available at:- <http://nawroski.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/living-parisian-poster-of-van-gogh-aged-13-number-8-7-billion/> [Accessed on 16 December 2012].

Developing Ideas

Cubism, Picasso and other designs inspired from Cubism stimulated me to start developing my thoughts and ideas for the final concept. One can look at the Cubist period from various angles, since it challenged and improved a lot of visions in the 20^th century. 

“Artists are in some sense neurologists, studying the brain with techniques that are unique to them”

                                           Semir Zeki

Original Photo

David Hockney inspired me to create an image holding various Cubist techniques in it. I took an image from a scene in the film ‘The Four Feather’, in which Heath Ledger appears. Using the formal techniques in Cubism I created an abstract structure of this photograph. I simply distorted the photo by cutting down the image to simple squares. When I was arranging these cuttings, I also duplicated a few parts to place different views in the photo, as Hockney did in the work portraying his mother. One could instantly notice this from the face.  The geometric shapes such as cubes and angles are very visible, although I didn't use any bold lines. I wanted the weapon to be more exposed in the photograph therefore I made it pointing to the center of the photo and it looks as if the image has been distorted due to this weapon. Most of the paintings during the Analytical part of Cubism had a limited colour palette, but different shades throughout. I did the same to my work by sorting the opacity of the squares.

All in all, it was an enjoyable experience creating such work, which will help me develop my final concept which will be related to Cubism.

References:-

PhotoGavin, 2009. Mosaic, montage or joiner effect from one photo. [video online]

Available at: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVxlFtrHPTM> [accessed on 11 December 2012].

Original Photo

Jaap Buitendijk, 2002. The Four Feathers. [photograph]

Available at: <http://www.imdb.com/media/rm60922112/tt0240510> [accessed on 11 December 2012].

Picasso's Portraiture; Transformation

Pablo Picasso, who is celebrated as perhaps to be the greatest artist of the 20^th century, sought to find various ways how to represent the human face. He created most of his portraiture by arranging shapes and colours. The transformation found in his portraits through the latest half of the 20^th century is impeccable. Most of them are intimate posters representing relatives, friends, fellow workers and his passion to the women he loved.

Image 1

He represented the same sitter in various styles ranging from African art to Cubism to Surrealism. Starting from his earliest works in 1905, when he painted ‘The portrait of Gertrude Stein’ ( Image 1) . Their friendship was of a great importance to him. This classical portrait shows Gertrude sitting in a brown velvet blouse in a dark, strange setting. She posed for this portrait for about 90 times in the same position and it is also known that he had her head repainted for 3 times. Looking at the head and the rest of the body separately, one can see that the head is very contrasting, using masses of colour where the facial features are very expressive (jaw lines). Her face looks like a mask; this work can be seen as an inspiration to his later works in the Cubist style.

Image 2

Moving on to Picasso’s love life, the Russian ballerina Olga was his first wife and she full filled his works from 1917 to 1920. The painting ‘Woman in an Armchair’ (1920; Image 2), shows the connection between the Cubist style & Neo-Classical These Neo-Classical paintings were then used for his finished Cubist works. I mostly like the line found in his painting which guides us and also the use of colour palette.

Image 3

When their marriage started deteriorating, her portraits where then more harsh, he even transformed Olga’s head into a skull in the ‘Seated Bather’ (1930; Image 3). Olga represented as an insect with different human and animal forms. In his new relationship with Marie-Therese Walter, he created a twin painting named ‘Bather with beach ball’ (1932; Image 4). The use of colour is less harsh, with a rounder and softer figure, which seems weightless. Although they have the same background, the transformation in the presentation of the figure between one other is huge.

Image 4

In the 1930’s, Picasso exploited sexuality. Most of his erotic paintings include Marie Theresa in them, done in the 1930’s. ‘Girl before a Mirror’ ( Image 5), has to be one of my favourite art pieces by Picasso. It shows a woman holding a mirror within which she is reflected in her dead body. It represents the concerns of the woman depicted with her own inner self. Her body is not portraying beauty, since Picasso wants to show that perception changes everything.

Image 5

When Dora Maar took place in Picasso’s life, he started involving her in his passion to portraiture. He depicted Marie-Therese with a sentimental expression, with her blue eyes dominating her curvy face. Dora’s portraits show a lot of energy and passion, with the use of bold colours and exaggerated face make-up.  Most of Dora’s portraits display a lot of emotion due to the war. He also referred to her as the ‘weeping woman’. The painting ‘Weeping Woman’ (1937; Image 6) shows a lot of pain. Half of her face is in white bones, which the corrosive tears made it reveal.

Personal Comments

Image 6

The transformation found in these 40 years of Picasso’s Portraiture is huge.  Through these portraits, one can read Picasso’s life, his troubles and pleasures expressed in colour on a canvas. In his earliest works he used dark colours, but later paintings became more vivid and bold. The Figures became more abstracted, using simplified forms; geometric and curvy ones. In the 20’s he veiled all of his paintings, but Marie- Therese seemed to be an inspiration to be more sexual and start painting the nudes (1930’s).  Although the Bather’s paintings are said to be twins, in the ‘Seated Bather’ he represented the body with bones, while the other one with balloons. In the ‘Girl before a mirror’, I think that he is trying to show 2 different parts of her, both day-self and night-self, her tranquility and her vitality, showing also the change from an innocent girl to a woman aware of her sexuality. The hand is representing unity, trying to unite the different selves. Moving on to Dora Maar’s portraits which are more conflicting then the others, showing a lot of emotion but he using bold colours.

References

MOMA, 1996. Picasso and Portraiture: Representation and Transformation. [online]

Available at: <http://www.moma.org/docs/press_archives/7424/releases/MOMA_1996_0019_19.pdf?2010> [accessed on 11 December 2012].

Art Net, 2012. The Muses are Women: Picasso at the Museum of Modern Art by Berta Sichel. [online]

Available at: <http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/features/sichel/sichel5-31-96.asp> [accessed on 11 December 2012].

JSTOR, 2002. In the name of Picasso. [online]

Available at: <http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/778371uid=3738632&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21101553596817> [accessed on 12 December 2012].

Timothy Hilton, 1976. Picasso. Thames and Hudson, Pgs 220-225.

Images

Image 1:- Picasso, 1905. Portrait of Gertrude Stein. [image online]

Available at: <http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/210008443> [accessed on 11 December 2012].

Image 2:- Picasso, 1920. Woman in an armchair. [image online]

Available at: <http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/pablo-picasso/woman-sitting-in-an-armchair-1920> 
[accessed on 11 December 2012].

Image 3:- Picasso, 1930. Seated Bather. [image online]

Available at: <http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=78721> [accessed on  11 December 2012].

Image 4:- Picasso, 1932. Bather with Beach Ball. [image online]
Available at: <http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=80262> [accessed on 11 December 2012]

Image 5:- Picasso, 1932. Girl before a mirror. [image online]

Available at: <http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=78311>  [accessed on  12 December 2012].

Image 6:-  Picasso, 1937. Weeping Woman. [image online]

Available at: <http://www.inminds.com/weeping-woman-picasso-1937.html> [accessed on 12 December 2012].

Cubism; a source of inspiration

Cubism paved the way to modern art. They were the group of artists that rejected the traditional techniques and created illusions. I've come across some artists work inspired from Cubism; from collages to fine art inspired adverts.

                                                                                                   

Mazda,
Mazda Sposorship of Picasso Exhibition,
2006

Lipton, Lipton Yellow Label Tea, 1998

A few years ago, the automobile company Mazda connected its product with the artworks of Pablo Picasso. The line at the bottom of the advert says “Be prepared to see everything differently after visiting the Picasso exhibition”. There is no reference to text, the imagination through these messages make it clear enough for one to understand. As the cubists did; placing different viewpoints in one composition, this advert seems to represent the same idea. In my opinion, it is a great ad, but it looks very simple, yet more viewpoints should have been added to this advert. An interesting print advert fro Lipton Yellow Label Tea was also inspired from Picasso. It is in a form of a painting with the brands logo distorted using a limited colour palette. Honestly, I think that Cubism art and the way the advert was presented worked out great together.

David Murray, an illustrator and designer uses the cubist style to create a versatile range of prints of different brews. In this image, we can see the beer can of Lowenbrau. The logo isn't distorted very much and unlike the cubists, there is a lot of white in the composition. The simplification of the can is like someone encroached it.

David Hockney 'Mother I, Yorkshire Moors, August 1985 No.1' 1985

 Picasso’s portrait ‘Portrait of Ambroise Vollard’, motivated Hockney when creating ‘Mother I, Yorkshire Moors, August 1985 No.1’. Both portraits are fractured into different viewpoints. Picasso uses a lot of geometric planes while Hockney places different views in a way that makes her face look as if she was in front of us. The main difference between the two portraits must be the colour palette. Hockney’s composition is amusing; his work is very appealing to me. The different tones and forms cut to create this work make it unique. I mostly like his work because of the space found in his work. Space is guiding us through his work. 

                                                          

Another work which also struck me has to be the grid-like compositions were he’s joining Polaroid photos of different body gestures or parts in the same composition. His joiners are images made out of 1000s of different photographs, another influence from the Cubism.

   

David Hockney 'Pearblossom Highway, 11th to 18th April 1986 No.2'

Cubism may have left a great influence on such artists, which helped them create modern artworks which left a huge impact. I simply like these transformations because of their simplifications but also because of the imagination running through these works.

References:-

AdMe Group, 2004. "PICASSO" Print Ad for Lipton Yellow Label Tea by JWT Russia [online]

Available at:- http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/prints/lipton-yellow-label-tea-picasso-808605/ [Accessed on 5th December 2012]

PSFK, CUBISM-INSPIRED BEER PRINTS [online]

Available at:- http://www.psfk.com/2011/08/cubism-inspired-beer-prints.html [Accessed on 5th December 2012]

Jfkturner, The Delight of Seeings; Cubism, Joiners and The Multiple Viewpoint [online]

Available at:- http://thedelightsofseeing.blogspot.com/2011/03/cubism-joiners-and-multiple-viewpoint.html [Accessed on 5th December 2012]

Web Media Brands, Mazda: Picasso Exhibition [online]

Available at:- http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/mazda_picasso_exhibition [Accessed on 5th December 2012]

Cubism

Cubism was one of the most influential styles of the first half of the twentieth century. Pablo Picasso was the founder of this style which paved the way to modern art. He took Cezanne’s ideas to another level. It was also influenced from African art, depicting real life moments. Picasso was obsessed with cinema, and many scholars think that Cubism was inspired from the moving picture. Their aim was to lose the traditional techniques and develop a new way of seeing the world. Taking an object and looking at it from various angles, placing all these different views in one composition.  Eventually they used to transform objects into geometric shapes. Braque & Picasso’s favourite motifs to paint were usually, forms that can be related to one another, such as the human figure, bottles, grapes and musical instruments. Since these motifs are similar, they help us to find our way through the paintings and make it easier to understand. This style was divided in two distinctive parts, the Analytical and Synthetic. The Analytical was when artists viewed the subject from different viewpoints and transform it into a composition. Having a limited palette of colours, to represent these fragmented images. From the 1912 onward  Braque and Picasso’s paintings became so similar, more abstract, where the subject matter is less recognizable. Then Picasso started placing actual images related to the theme on his still life. This was the origin of collage.

 Pablo Picasso. "Violin and Grapes." Spring-summer 1912

Head of a woman (1928) vs. Head of a woman (1946)

Head of a Woman
 Pablo Picasso, 1946, oil on canvas (Museo Picasso Malaga, Malaga)

Head of a Woman

Pablo Picasso  (Spanish, Malaga 1881–1973 Mougins, France)

Picasso wanted to check out for himself how far the idea of constructing can go when using unusual forms and materials.  He composed 16 different paintings symbolizing his crumbled marriage to Olga Kokhlova. In one of his earliest composition, we can see that he uses one continuous line. He added an abstract shape suggesting the contour of the face. He placed the eyes as far as possible from each other, with different sizes. To picture this angry female, he placed only three hairs and also a small pair of nostrils. He created four pointed lines in the middle representing her teeth, which make the image look a bit terrifying.  In the other composition, her teeth give a harmonious feeling to the image, with one continuous line. He divided the image in two to create a contrast, one with a darker background leaving the facial features blank. He placed the same eyes found in the other painting on top of each other, unlike the other composition. He added an extra hair, using straight lines. Only one nostril is seen. The curve in the lower part of this arrangement indicates Olga’s body. The simple lines, both vertical and horizontal are connecting the two parts together. The vertical line found in the middle presents the image of a hand.

Sources

Contemporaneous Extension, Highest Lights

Available at:- http://contemporaneousextension.wordpress.com/ ( Accessed on 18.11.2012)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-2012, Head of a Woman

Available at:- http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/210010276 ( Accessed on 18.11.2012)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-2012,Cubism

Available at:- http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cube/hd_cube.htm (Accessed in 17.11.2012)

Cubism-The first style of abstract art, 2012, Cubism

Available at:- http://artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/cubism.htm (Accessed on 17.11.2012)

E.H. Gombrich, Phaidon, 1995, The story of Art, Pgs 574-577

Art Poster

“Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions; there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated”

                                                                                                                                        — Paul Rand   

Graphic Design is a combination of Text and images. It has 3 different purposes:- persuasion (propaganda), information (signs) and instruction. Graphic Design became widely used after WWII.

                                                            

Jules Cheret, El Dorado, 1894

In this blog, I’m about to tackle the transformation of the Art Poster over the years. A poster includes an expression of economical, social & cultural life.  They started as a mass production and show famous artworks at a very low price, compared to the original artwork. Ability to combine text and illustrations which finally made lithographic posters reduced. Jules Cheret, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, Jacques Villon were the exponents of the poster till the 1890’s. Jules Cheret, the father of the poster, was also a massive contributor to the world of advertising. He developed the famous process named “three stone process”, where the rainbow colours can be achieved through the primary colours, the main characteristics of his posters were a feminine figure, drawn lettering and very bold with a cartoonish touch. When the French Art Nouveau started, Alphonse Mucha, simplified Cheret’s style. His posters were more colorful  with a bold outline, animated with most of them including a female figure with a stained glass background. Art Nouveau, in Italy was known as the Liberty style. Cappieldo’s work, influenced from Cheret & Lautrec took over other artists work. He used a lot of dark backgrounds to create a strong contrast with the use of complimentary colours. Aubrey Beardsley composed black and white illustrations, conveying a great contrast. He also used flat perspective in his work. The figures were influenced from the Japanese graphic art. Will Bradley took over Beardsley, when he passed away. He combined Art Nouveau with Medieval and Renaissance art. His work in children’s illustrations and paintings was fascinating. The Wiener Workstation workshop, aimed for quality improvements. It brought various artists and designers together. The main characteristics are the breaking down of objects to simple shapes and the use of geometric patterns with minimum decorations. The Beggarstaff brothers formed an innovative style but wasn't popular. Simplified shapes, few strong colours, less lettering & hand drawn. Bernhard Lucian took their idea and managed to popularize it. He then became the master of Plakastil, which is the simplification and definition of objects with flat colours. Advertising posters include only images of the object being advertised.

                                                         Lucian Bernhard

                                                                 

Some of Peter Behrens's posters

From a floral, Japanese prints, Egyptian style to a more serious, refined version of Art Nouveau, Art Deco. The main characteristics of Art Deco are futurism, cubism, constructivism, neo-classicism, abstraction to modern artists such as Hoffman and Frank Lloyd Wright.  Peter Behrens is known as the founder of modern design which is linked with Jugendstil (a style similar to art Nouveau). In his posters he is not only taking care of the product, but viewing it as a whole entity, from introduction till the end. The beginning of constructivism started with a highly contrasted geometric composition. The Futuristic movement in Italy was rejecting harmony and order but expressing speed and movement. Their arrangements created a transformation from the traditional typography to new forms and design. Their font types weren't linear, and most of the forms didn't make any sense but created a sense of expression. DADA’s aim was to destroy the traditional art and create a new one, without following any known rules. Subverting images to collages, photo montages, extremes which made them use ready made objects. Hannah Hoch was one of the most aesthetically gifted collagists of the Dadaists. 

Hannah Hoch, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through
 the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultura
l Epoch in Germany, 1919

        

     

 Sources

Timetoast, 2012, History of Graphic Design

Available at:- http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/53704 (accessed on 13.11.2012)

Edward Booth-Clibborn & Daniele Baroni, Thames & Hudson, 1980, The language of Graphic Design

The Four Feathers

This film produced in 2002 is full of transformation and it tells the story of Harry, the son of a British Army Hero. Harry’s a British officer in love with Ethne. The movie takes off with a scene where the British officers are playing a rugby derby. They look very dirty, strong and angry while the spectators are lovely dressed and well mannered, which is very conflicting. If we compare this scene to the ending scene, we can see that the setting of Harry and Ethne walking hand in hand leaves a harmonious effect on the viewer. 

Just before the regiment was about to depart for the battle, Harry decides to resign his commission. His friends Ralph Richardson, Jack Allen, Donald Gray and wife-to-be Ethne, sent him four feathers symbolising his cowardice.  Eventually Harry transformed himself in one of their rebels in Sudan to rescue the British Army. In Sudan, Harry’s lifestyle had a drastic change, from a wealthy life to a needy one.  In one particular scene, Harry is seen sucking the camel’s flesh.  When he was trying to save his friends, he ended up in prison where he found his friend and with the help of Fatma, they escaped to get their lives back. I’ve also noticed the change in the relationship Harry had with his colleagues. Harry used to treat Jack as his brother, but Jack without any guilt feeling proposed to Ethne, the woman that Harry was in love with.  In the end, Harry and Ethne continued their relationship where they had left it in the beginning of the movie.  

Sources

IMDb, 1990-2012, The Four Feathers(2002)

Available at:- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240510/ (Accessed on:- 6-11-2012)

Floating Ecopolis for Climate Refugees

Vincent Callebaut named this project “Lily pad”, but it is also known as “Floating Ecopolis for Climate Refugees”. This urban design was created to serve as a protection for the future climate change refugees. Callebaut came up with a solution, an answer to global warming. The water in the coming future may rise from 20 cm to 90 cm; therefore low areas will be flooded. He then created these cities to elevate the sea level. It is designed in the form of a lily pad, to gain full stability and survive storms in the open waters. These cities will provide a shelter for about 50,000 people. This project is still in design, and it will take over 90 years to be seen in reality.

Transformation

In this floating structure, we can see transformation from a land city to a floating one. This design is a solution to many problems the world has to deal with in the near future such as; the rise of water level and climate changes. The structure is very modern and the curves in the design itself create a sort of motion, movement. It creates its own energy. This project may be an inspiration to more creative solutions which may provide a solution that works.

Sources

Freshome - Interior Design, Decorating & Architecture Magazine, 2007-2012, Future Architecture: Floating Ecopolis for Climate change

Available at :-

http://freshome.com/2008/06/11/future-architecture-floating-ecopolis-for-climate-refugees/ ( Accessed on 4.11.12)

Inhabitant, 2012, LILYPAD; Floating City for Climate change refugees

Available at :-

http://inhabitat.com/lilypad-floating-cities-in-the-age-of-global-warming/ ( Accessed on 4.11.12)

Paul Cezanne

Paul Cezanne took part in impressionism exhibitions and he also created the bridge between impressionism & post-impressionism. When he grew tired of Impressionism, he decided to move on & go to his home town, Aix-En-Provence, where he could discover his art once again. His aim was to capture the discoveries made in Impressionism but with a sense of perfection, balance and order. Most of his paintings are related to the scenes found in Provence, Cezanne and the Sainte Victoire Mountain had a strong relationship. He painted this mountain at least 60 times. 

Bestand:Paul Cezanne La Montagne Saint Victoire Barnes

Mont Sainte-Victoire and the Viaduct of the Arc River Valley

In this post, I’m about to review the transformation which these 60 renderings carry. The influence of Pisarro is very much visible, he abandoned the dark colours and the canvases display a brighter painting. For Cezanne, a painting is not an image, in these renderings we can see that he transformed each landscape in his way, positioning the trees and houses. This conveys a transformation from the nature world to the artistic world. He was interested in the world, not in the subject matter. He represented these imperfect forms with traditional shapes. In his first paintings the main elements were still visible but as years passed by the paintings became more simplified. The light in the painting, gives an impression of real depth, even the chunks of colour with no blending in between. These different planes of colour all placed next to each other, are communicated trough his broad brushstrokes. Cezanne’s small, very repetitive brushstrokes are characteristic & highly recognizable, which were arranged in a manner to enhance the feel of harmony. This is seen in a later part of his career, where he used colour in shorter strokes.



Sources

Bruce and Bobbie Johnson, Paul Cezanne 

Available at:-

http://hoocher.com/Paul_Cezanne/Paul_Cezanne.htm (Accessed on 27.10.12)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-2012, The Transformation of landscape painting in France

Available at:-

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/lafr/hd_lafr.htm (Accessed on 26.10.12)

Avignon et Provence, 1996-2012, Paul Cezanne( The Sainte Victoire mountain, promised land of his devotion)

Available at:-

http://www.avignon-et-provence.com/cezanne-biography/paul-cezanne/cezanne-paintings.htm#.UJUtUm_LTE0 (Accessed on 26.10.12)