Activity #14: Write About It! - RE-EDIT

Movement, Style, and Period

The first work, "The Harvest" (1890) Pen drawing over graphite, was created by Vincent van Gogh during the Post-impressionism period (1880-1910) in France. Van Gogh, along with other artists sought new forms of expression in the wake of the pictorial revolution brought on by the Impressionism period. Van Gogh employs pointillist style in dynamic brushstrokes, thick application of straight lines, and dots and dashes. "Harvest" seems to reflect a style shift - from from his darker manner to a style heavily influenced by divisionism or, pointillism. Van Gogh's style also include emotional intensity as he sought elemental truth through the inner world of the psyche. While post-impressionism period cannot be called a movement, it did provide the vital and creative link between the impressionist revolution and the emergence of all the major art movements in the 20th century (Getlein).

The second work, "The Emperor Moth" (1889) Oil on canvas, 33.5 x 24.5 cm, was also created by Vincent van Gogh in France during the post-impressionistic movement or period. "Moth" is a realistic style that seems similar to the first art movement in the 19th Century known as Realism. It depicts "the everyday and the ordinary, rather than the historic" as Van Gogh seems to escape the abstract in his tortured mind. It seems that Van Gogh employs his famous style of dynamic brushstrokes in the content and form of the subject matter along with thick applications of paint to create a lively image. His style of expression is representational and naturalistic as seen here in atmospheric perspective, view from above. Van Gogh employs a pure pallatte of complementary color harmonies of red and green to capture a fleeting moment in time in the life of this beautiful nocturnal creature.

Thus, the artistic style of both pieces by Van Gogh is characteristic of the Post-impressionism movement. Vincent van Gogh's style is dynamic brushstrokes, thick applications of paint, and use of a special pallatte in composing his works of art.

WORKS CITED

1. Amsterdam - Vincent van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam Online. URL: http://www.amsterdam.info/museums/van_gogh_museum. (2007).

2. "Art Periods: POSTIMPRESSIONISM in France" at URL: http:www.discoverfrance.net/France/Art/postimpressionism.shtml. (2007).

3. Getlein, Mark. "Living With Art" Eighth Ed. McGraw-Hill 2007. (2007).

4. The National Gallery of Art Online. URL: http://www.nga.gov/. (2007).

Peace,

Gwendolyn

Activity #11, RE-EDIT

Culture and Period

This first artwork entitled, The Harvest (1888) in pen and brown ink over graphite, was created in the late nineteenth century by Vincent van Gogh (Dutchman)who moved to Paris, France. He became thoroughly immersed in the bold, new Avant-Garde culture, changes in art through innovations and concepts of the Post-Impressionism period. According to our text, Post-Impressionism is the period of painting developed in France between 1880 - 1910 by a group of artists who believed in the idea of painting modern life from the artist's view. This was a time of change in art characterized by concentration on the immediate visual impression of the artist. In "Harvest," it appears Van Gogh used Seurat's style of Pointillism. (Getlein 514-515).

The second artwork entitled, The Emperor Moth (1889) Oil on canvas, was also composed by Vincent van Gogh in the late nineteenth century known as the Post-impressionism period. Post-impressionism is an art-historical term describing a generation of artists who sought new forms of expression in the wake of the pictorial revolution. In "Emperor," Van Gogh employs broad dramatic brushstrokes and expressive use of primary colors in this modern outdoor scene that is characteristic of the Post-impressionism period (Getlein). In conclusion, both of the Van Gogh artworks were created in the late nineteenth century in France during a revolutionary period of art known as Post-impressionism (1880-1910).

Peace,

Gwendolyn

WORKS CITED

1. Getlein, Mark. Living with Art. Eighth Ed. McGraw-Hill (2007).

2. National Gallery of Art. Washington, D.C. URL: http://www.nga.gov/. (images only)

Creative Blog #3: Rainbow-colored Hot Air Balloon RE-EDIT

Van Gogh's "Wheatfield with Crows" (Auvers-sur-Oise, July 1890) Vincent van Gogh - Oil on canvas. Courtesy of Van Gogh Museum Foundation, Amsterdam/Vincent van Gogh Foundation

Van Gogh's oil painting is an example of the design principle balance in this asymmetrical composition. Van Gogh creates a dynamic feeling in this piece, and utilizes unity and variety in balancing the massive wheat field and the tiny images of crows.

"A woman inflates her balloon at Clark Field near Manila for the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival" [Day in Photos at URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ Washington Post online (February 8, 2007)

The hot air balloon picture is an example of symmetrical balance design principle. Its single axis of symmetry creates a strong sense of balance and unity with the shadowed figure of a woman positioned in the center with perfect balance on each side.

Gwendolyn Lane

Activity 4: Principles of Design RE-EDIT

Principles of Design

Vincent van Gogh constructs "Wheatfield" Ink Drawing on paper (1889) with the following design principles of unity and variety, balance, emphasis, scale, and texture. He employs unity and balance among other visual elements to support the massive landscape pattern as a balanced asymmetrical composition. Working with a restricted palette, Van Gogh uses only a few color mixtures with the added value of texture and intensity to his two color schemed composition. His application of bold black ink emphasized in dynamic brushstrokes cover a lighted background of chroma or, saturated yellow-orange hues adding the value of implied light resembling sunlight in the entire piece. A repetitive pattern is seem that is formed throughout this piece as he adds mixtures of gray and the primary color yellow to associate the warmth of sunlight with the yellow-orange hues. He continues with the same hues giving the value of texture with the appearance of short thin yellowish brown lines that resemble fertile wheatfield landscape. The warm tints of yellow color depicts a seasonal effect and another visual element of implied sunlight. A thin black ink contour line attracts the eye to the top across the horizontal plane in the foreground which is off-center but, a focal point that draws attention upward. This motion representing shafts of wheat flying high into the air keeping the focus in the center of the piece. The clouds are small, short contour lines that are composed of thin, smooth black ink brushstrokes in contrast to thick, roughly applied light yellow-brownish color resembling wheat-covered ground. This composition supports balance and proportion as the smaller subordinate figures in the distant foreground are drawn to scale in proportion to a normal sized wheatfield with very thin black straight lines depicting haystacks that are positioned off center throughout the composition. In conclusion, Van Gogh's "Wheatfield" ink drawing on paper (1889) supports a symmetrically balanced composition design based on the fact that the focal point is directed toward objects that are at the top center of this piece.

In Vincent van Gogh" second piece, "The Emperor Moth" Oil Painting on Canvas (1889), he chose a similar design principles including, unity and variety, balance, emphasis, variety, proportion, rhythm, and scale. The figure of the moth in the center attracts the eye first to the subject matter positioned in the center. The eyes are drawn right above the moth by three broad contour-shaped yellow-green leafs adding value of proportion and scale to the moth's wings that are spread open revealing color value of broad black outlined green-blue tinted wings displaying the value pattern in the design on the moth's wing that comprised of three tiny, evenly spaced black dots on top of each wing. Van Gogh adds a second focal point that direct the eyes up to the top center of the edge of the piece to a cluster of vividly colored red berries, this adds another value of balance and oneness of design in this asymmetrical composition. It shows a variety of different shapes and textures as dense foliage in the background that provides the visual element of implied sunlight, dimmed cool lshade of the tertiary colored foilage of green and green-blue). Another visual element that adds the value of atmospheric perspective is introduced in duller shades of tertiary colors of yellow-green as cooling effect and with the small to medium-sized leaf clusters in scale and proportion to the moth. In conclusion, Van Gogh's "The Emperor Moth" asymmetrically balanced composition exhibits more intensity and movement based on the use of intense color, more unusual shapes, and more dynamic feeling created by its visual elements and principles of design.

Gwendolyn Lane

WORK CITED

1. Getlein, Mark. "Getlein's Living with Art" Eighth Ed. (McGraw-Hill, New York, N.Y.) Copyright 2008. (Chapters 4 and 5).

2. The National Gallery of Art Online. Washington, D.C. Located at URL: http://www.nga.gov/

Activity 2: Contrast Essay: RE-EDIT

In comparing my two work's of art entitled, "The Harvest" Ink Drawing on paper 1889 and "The Emperor Moth" oil on canvas (1889), I chose pieces by the same Dutch artist, Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853-1890). According to his biography in: www.Artcyclopedia.com, Van Gogh "suffered from bouts of recurrent mental illness"and originally, began his career as a draftsman and painter ten years before his death. He was known for dynamic brushstrokes in drawings and paintings of the landscape and women working the farmland. But, most remember his style or technique that pioneered a change in the art world known as Post-Impressionism or, the birth of modern art between 1886 and 1892. In the drawing, van Gogh uses a variety of design elements including vivid color, distinctive lines that are symbolic in dynamic brushstrokes which convey direction and movement through the vast wheat field. The thick application of paint within emphasizes depth of this representation of naturalistic subject matter. In conclusion, this piece of art appears to have a calming effect of the open field which van Gogh often captured on canvas.

This oil painting evokes life of the butterfly as the artist has captured this natural beauty of nature. The short life of the butterfly is viewed in foliage of vivid primary and secondary colors. It is in contrast to my first painting because of the absence of a horizon and straight lines which keep the eyes watching the butterfly's movements. With many contour lines within this painting, the viewer never stops to focus on the frolicking winged creature. Thus, with his innovative bold use of secondary color contrasts of green with a spot of red that brings it to life, along with different shading of tertiary colors including blue-green and green-yellow. Here, the artist creates life and movement to the image, therefore, it appears more life-like. This one transforms the viewer into a plush forest just looking at his painting gives a light, warm and playful impression, not like the monochromatic, somber colors which depicts laboring a long time in the fields. However, here we can also see how his reputation for dynamic brushwork adds contour lines to express movement of the butterfly fluttering among the foliage. This one is among his best as van Gogh completed most of his finest work during the last two years of his life.

In conclusion, the oil painting seems more exciting and life-like in contrast to the drawing that depicts the peasant work day, and the death of the wheat plant in "The Harvest." The colorful emperor moth is nocturnal and lives but a short while. It seems to symbolize the playful, brevity of life, quite the opposite of his apparent ill condition due to his deteriorating health.

Gwendolyn Lane