:Exhibition:
Hilltop Cabin at Night is an impressionist painting inspired by the works of Vincent Van Gogh, specifically Cafe Terrace at Night. My line work clearly conveys flow and texture, and the blues compliment the orange and yellow pleasantly. The lone house on the top of the hill is shining brightly, and it's close to the stars. It represents closeness between humanity and natural things like the earth and stars, and how there can be harmony between them. Title: Hilltop Cabin at Night Size: 2ft by 3ft Medium: Acrylic painting on canvas Date of Completion: 2022 |
Inspiration
Cafe Terrace at Night by Vincent Van Gogh was completed in 1888. Vincent Van Gogh uses his signature impressionist style and bright colors to display the calm night cafe scene. There is prominent use of yellow and blue throughout the piece that shows contrast between light and dark. The impressionist style uses lines of color to direct view and convey texture. The buildings are mostly straight vertical lines, while the road made of stones is rounded. |
Planning
I will be using primarily yellow and blue like my inspiration, cafe terrace at night, as well as a composition that highlights the sky, which is a prominent feature in my inspiration piece and a staple of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings. The initial sketch (right) is my experimentation with color and layout, which I ended up following closely in the final painting. I blocked in solid color the most basic shapes of the hills and sky leaving blank the winding road, house, stars, and the moon, all of which are not blue. |
The final stages bring in the finer details, the curved stones in the path, and the lights. The light from the torches and the cabin's window illuminate the grass and path, tying together the scene cohesively. The swirling pattern of the blue night sky is mesmerizing to the viewer, the lines curve into each other and make the sky into one intertwined mass. |
Critique
Pictured left is Vincent Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night, pictured right is my Hilltop Cabin at Night
Similar
-In both pieces there is heavy and deliberate use of yellow and blue.
-Both pieces are in the streaky impressionist style, using lines to convey movement.
-Cafe Terrace at Night and Hilltop Cabin at Night both prominently feature the sky, with vivid blue colors and pops of yellow stars.
Different
-The color intensity is different between the two pieces, Van Gogh's piece is more dull in places such as the stony road and buildings, which gives it a calmer atmosphere. My piece is much more vibrant and lively.
-line obviousness
-Van Gogh's piece is more focused on life in the city, and has detailed, ridgid architecture, while my piece is more focused on flowing hills and swirling skies which are softer shapes.
Similar
-In both pieces there is heavy and deliberate use of yellow and blue.
-Both pieces are in the streaky impressionist style, using lines to convey movement.
-Cafe Terrace at Night and Hilltop Cabin at Night both prominently feature the sky, with vivid blue colors and pops of yellow stars.
Different
-The color intensity is different between the two pieces, Van Gogh's piece is more dull in places such as the stony road and buildings, which gives it a calmer atmosphere. My piece is much more vibrant and lively.
-line obviousness
-Van Gogh's piece is more focused on life in the city, and has detailed, ridgid architecture, while my piece is more focused on flowing hills and swirling skies which are softer shapes.
Reflection
I am very satisfied with my work, the vibrant colors bring a lot of life to the piece. The flowing lines make the piece feel unrestricted and exciting. If I were to do this again, I would add more finer details and use less colors, as I feel that the extra colors made the sky look less cohesive.
ACT Connection
1.) Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork:
The style is clearly inspired by Van Gogh's work, he is well known for his vibrant color use and impressionist style.
2.) What is the overall approach ( point of view ) the author ( from your research ) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Life is in the little things, like the sky.
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
the impressionist style is fun to work with but also difficult to put fine detail into. My lines ended up thicker than intended.
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Even innocuous things you see everyday are relevant and have life.
5.) What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
Use of line has so much influence on the look of a piece. Van Gogh has more rigid lines for architecture and my piece's curvy lines make it feel much more relaxed.
The style is clearly inspired by Van Gogh's work, he is well known for his vibrant color use and impressionist style.
2.) What is the overall approach ( point of view ) the author ( from your research ) has regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Life is in the little things, like the sky.
3.) What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
the impressionist style is fun to work with but also difficult to put fine detail into. My lines ended up thicker than intended.
4.) What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
Even innocuous things you see everyday are relevant and have life.
5.) What kind of inferences ( conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning ) did you make while reading your research?
Use of line has so much influence on the look of a piece. Van Gogh has more rigid lines for architecture and my piece's curvy lines make it feel much more relaxed.