:Exhibition:
My piece Noxious Cattlena captures the abstract feeling of living in a world where you were not made to succeed. Being at a disadvantage and still fighting for a better life. Inspired by Pablo Picasso's bullfight studies and Winslow Holmer's The Unruly Calf, the two panels follow a young defiant calf being pulled forward to a bull charging to it's death, looking somewhat resigned. Title: Noxious Cattlena Size: 12inx18in (each) Medium: illustration board & acrylic paint Date of Completion: 4/4/22 |
Inspiration
Pictured left, Bullfight Scene, Picasso. Pictured center, Bullfight 1, Picasso. Pictured right, The Unruly Calf, Winslow Holmer.
I was searching for a simple and stylized piece and stumbled across Picasso's many bullfight studies. I was inspired by Picasso's bullfight studies, and wanted to replicate the strong use of watered down black on white canvas as well as the solid form and silhouette of his pieces. The pieces have various interesting compositions, and all these pieces are centering on movement and a moment in time and that's really something I wanted to capture in my own work. I searched for another similar piece that makes good use of movement and found The Unruly Calf, which felt like a fitting piece beside Picasso's bull fights. They fit together as two parts of a story, the defiant calf fights the rope it's pulled on and the charging bull that fights the bullfighter that spears it. This story really appealed to me in a symbolic sense because it felt like an abstraction of a familiar feeling, existing in a world where you were not made to succeed. Being at a disadvantage and still fighting for a better life.
I was searching for a simple and stylized piece and stumbled across Picasso's many bullfight studies. I was inspired by Picasso's bullfight studies, and wanted to replicate the strong use of watered down black on white canvas as well as the solid form and silhouette of his pieces. The pieces have various interesting compositions, and all these pieces are centering on movement and a moment in time and that's really something I wanted to capture in my own work. I searched for another similar piece that makes good use of movement and found The Unruly Calf, which felt like a fitting piece beside Picasso's bull fights. They fit together as two parts of a story, the defiant calf fights the rope it's pulled on and the charging bull that fights the bullfighter that spears it. This story really appealed to me in a symbolic sense because it felt like an abstraction of a familiar feeling, existing in a world where you were not made to succeed. Being at a disadvantage and still fighting for a better life.
Planning
When I saw the Picasso and Holmer pieces I knew that I wanted to use them together, they felt as thought they were two pieces of the same story. I made some simple sketches to figure out what I wanted to do with the pieces, weather to use the colors and detail of the unruly calf or the monochrome and strong silhouettes of the Picasso pieces. I decided on the style of the Picasso pieces with some compositional elements of the Holmer piece that I felt were a focal point of the piece. Combining them to create a metaphor for an endless struggle in a world where you where not made to succeed, using the calf who then grows into a fighting bull, destined from the start to be slain in the arena. It was of much importance that I try multiple compositions, Picasso's pieces have a lot of movement and thus I should try multiple concepts. The first one was interesting and had a complicated but readable silhouette, so it came out very similar in the final version. I was very happy with how the middle one came out, the movement was very appealing, however the silhouette did not come out clear and unfortunately it was scrapped. The last one had character but not enough movement. |
Critique
Similarities
-The use of monochrome in both my piece and the original Picasso's bull fight studies are similar, the use of grey and black on white background are a clear similarity between the two.
-There is strong use of silhouette in Picasso's bull fight pieces, the forms appear clear and distinct. The form in unruly calf is also quite striking, the form is clear and dynamic. My piece focuses on the use of color and form to give the figures a clear and dynamic silhouette.
-Movement is a focal point in all of these pieces, in the unruly calf the child is pulling to the left of the frame while the calf strains back to the right. In the bull fights the bull lowers his head to charge as he's speared by the man on horseback. All present figures are in motion. In my piece, the child and calf are locked in a struggle, the leaning forms and strain on the rope imply movement in a still image. In the other the horse rears and the bull charges and drives forth to the spear.
Differences
-My final piece is quite different from the unruly calf in the use of color, the monochrome watered down black paint is wholly different from the many greens and browns and such of the original piece.
-The styalization of my piece also differs quite a bit from that of the original unruly calf, in that I make use of black silhouettes on a white backdrop, I forfeit a background that covers most of the piece as the inspiration did, or else the figures would become obscured.
-My pieces make use of scene when the Picasso bullfights sit on no background, I wanted my piece to be more grounded while still maintaining the clear silhouettes.
-The use of monochrome in both my piece and the original Picasso's bull fight studies are similar, the use of grey and black on white background are a clear similarity between the two.
-There is strong use of silhouette in Picasso's bull fight pieces, the forms appear clear and distinct. The form in unruly calf is also quite striking, the form is clear and dynamic. My piece focuses on the use of color and form to give the figures a clear and dynamic silhouette.
-Movement is a focal point in all of these pieces, in the unruly calf the child is pulling to the left of the frame while the calf strains back to the right. In the bull fights the bull lowers his head to charge as he's speared by the man on horseback. All present figures are in motion. In my piece, the child and calf are locked in a struggle, the leaning forms and strain on the rope imply movement in a still image. In the other the horse rears and the bull charges and drives forth to the spear.
Differences
-My final piece is quite different from the unruly calf in the use of color, the monochrome watered down black paint is wholly different from the many greens and browns and such of the original piece.
-The styalization of my piece also differs quite a bit from that of the original unruly calf, in that I make use of black silhouettes on a white backdrop, I forfeit a background that covers most of the piece as the inspiration did, or else the figures would become obscured.
-My pieces make use of scene when the Picasso bullfights sit on no background, I wanted my piece to be more grounded while still maintaining the clear silhouettes.
Reflection
I am satisfied with my work of using strong silhouettes to tell a story, though if I were to do something different, I do feel that the color came out too dark and that some detail was lost because of that, so in the future I should be more mindful of the intensity of the color.
ACT Connection
1.) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
My artistic inspirations were Pablo Picasso and Winslow Holmer. Picasso's use of strong silhouettes and a monochrome pallet are iconic, and something that I hope came across in my final piece since it was my stronger inspiration of the two. Holmer's piece made very good use of motion in the figures, and I also used that as a main component of my piece.
2.) What is the overall approach ( point of view ) the author ( from your research ) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
There is a predestined path for the life of the calf, one where he will live only to die in the ring. This is a omnipresent fate that is inescapable to the calf.
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I enjoy working with watered down paint, I had thought that it would be a difficult medium as opposed to regular paint, but it was actually quite satisfying to work with. I would like to continue to work in this medium.
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Some people are at a disadvantage and have to fight in an endless cycle for the peace others have for free, but their resilience to fight to the end for something better is an inspiration.
5.) What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
Silhouette on a piece is so important when you are using a limited pallet, and it can convey a lot of movement if you utilize it correctly.
My artistic inspirations were Pablo Picasso and Winslow Holmer. Picasso's use of strong silhouettes and a monochrome pallet are iconic, and something that I hope came across in my final piece since it was my stronger inspiration of the two. Holmer's piece made very good use of motion in the figures, and I also used that as a main component of my piece.
2.) What is the overall approach ( point of view ) the author ( from your research ) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
There is a predestined path for the life of the calf, one where he will live only to die in the ring. This is a omnipresent fate that is inescapable to the calf.
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I enjoy working with watered down paint, I had thought that it would be a difficult medium as opposed to regular paint, but it was actually quite satisfying to work with. I would like to continue to work in this medium.
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Some people are at a disadvantage and have to fight in an endless cycle for the peace others have for free, but their resilience to fight to the end for something better is an inspiration.
5.) What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
Silhouette on a piece is so important when you are using a limited pallet, and it can convey a lot of movement if you utilize it correctly.