Research - Reccomented by tutor Derek.

Romanticism

       Romanticism was a movement in art in the 19th century across Europe. It was an era of expressing emotion, freedom, heart and imagination. This was shown in art work of this time. Artists used medieval life images, as this was known then as a powerful religious age and which showed stability. People believed, Rural lifestyles were better then cluttered urban living areas. Many of these painting during this time showed rural areas with an image of a church to create that medieval religious images I spoke about previously. Artist also thought nature was an important part. Instead of painting nature in its normal beauty, they would emphasis this and create sublime art. An extremely powerful image, which will strike emotion in the viewer. My tutor has requested that I should look at two artists of this time.

Delacroix

        I had a browse on the internet to look at his work. I discovered two paintings that I felt really caught my eye and also the stories within them being told.

The Barque of Dante

http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/barque-dante

      I spotted this Art on the Louvre museum an was intrigued of what the painting story was about. I discovered that its a story from an old poem. Its about a man called Dante who travels from hell then ends up in paradise. This painting is of when he was in hell. Looking at the painting I can notice that Dante is the one cloaked in the middle of the boat. I think the man on his left is the boat keeper. This painting really shows you an insight in to hell. 

         The emotions in this picture bring it all together, to create a sense of fear and endless torture. Especially form the people in the water, who are obviously the dammed, trying as hard as they can to get on the boat. You can see there stressed and pain emotions in there faces. Dante's expression to me, is surprise and terrified at the same time. Hes looking at the sea of people, thinking that he did not expect it to be as horrendous as it was. It also looks like he wanted to get out of there pretty fast.

         The colours used in this painting are quite subtle, which is a quite calm use of colours to use when its a painting of hell. I would of thought the colours would be more dramatic, but thinking about it he kept then subtle, as the expressions are more then enough to understand what he is portraying here. I have also just spotted the fire in the background at which is another object that you symbolize hell with. His technique here is very detailed and I can clearly see his brush movements which create a dramatic effect for a dramatic moment in Dante adventure.

The Death of Sardanapalus
http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/death-sardanapalus

      I really enjoyed looking at this piece of art and admiring the detail within it. I read about what the story entails and its really inspired me to try and input stories and emotion in to my work too. This was a painting from a play that was shown in Paris and whilst it was there Delacroix was inspired himself. He produced this very in depth painting which I think is such a great example of expression. The story is in the title of the painting ' The death of Sardanapalus'. Sardanapalus was a Syrian king, who lived in a palace. His era was before Christ was born. In this story, the king kills himself and a concubine, as there were rebels who were taking over his land and were at the palace doors making there way in. In the painting you can see the king lying on a pink coloured bed, looking at what is going on around him.

        Lying over the bed is a concubine, pleading to the king to have mercy and to let her live. She looks as though shes exhausted of asking the king to let her live. To me the expression on the king, is that he has succumb to his fate and knows he will die by the hand of the rebels, if he does not kill him self first. He looks at though he is completely blocking out the cries on the concubine and just accepting his end.

        All around the bed, there are other people. Looking at them, I can see some killing each other or committing suicide. On the left side of the painting, I can see a woman carrying a golden bottle and inside it I'm guessing, is some sort of poison. 

         In the background there are flames coming from buildings. This shows the rebels are winning and that the whole city is going to go up in smoke. The colours used in this paintings are not subtle like in the Dante painting. They are very colorful and rich, to show the wealth of the king and the beauty of the palace. The painting strokes are very dynamic and flow fluidly. The composition is another point I wanted to note,  I  feel that your eyes are drawn all over this painting with the action within and also the details hes as inputted in too. Suicide back in Romanticism time was favoured by artists and this painting to me clearly ticks all boxes that Romanticism is all about.

Théodore Géricault

     My tutor has told me to look at the work of Gericault called 'Ten portraits of the Insane'. 

The Ten portraits of the insane were Gericaults reaction to his own illness which was that he was suffering from delusions of militry command. There are only 5 insane paintings left that survived the times.  The painitng were used in Gericaults vision to show soccietyys 

Ten portraits of the insane, only five of which survive, were Géricault’s reaction to his illness: A Man Suffering from Delusions of Military Command; A Kleptomaniac; A Woman Suffering from Obsessive Envy; A Woman Addicted to Gambling (Fig.1); and A Child Snatcher. These paintings confronted society’s perception of the insane and tested the stereotypes constructed about them. Driven by concerns in altering attitudes to disease and an appetite for controversial art, his work challenged the prevailing stigma towards the mentally ill

Portrait of a woman addicted to gambling, 1822

Théodore Géricault

Oil on canvas 

72 x 58 cm 

Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

    This painting caught my eye first out of the 5. Its a very scary looking woman and I think the painting justifies the title to it. Her eyes look so sore, as though as shes watched a lot of races or sport (depending on what she betted on) Her eyes just stare, in hope of that big win. However her clothing makes me think she never ever won that big one. He clothes look old and her skin is all wrinkled. It portrays her to be a woman that has gone through a lot of stress. Her mouth is a half smile and that to me shows she has not had a happy life. Her mentality for me is easy to see in this painting, she looks as shes been on edge, putting all her valuables on the line for that big win. As a painting the artists has a way of using his personal voice to show the personality on the figure. 
      The blackness of the background and figures clothing, really brings your attention to her face expression. Ive come to discover with painting figures, you need to also add expression and personality of the person into the painting. Its really good as it makes it interesting to the viewer, who is trying to figure out the story behind the figure.

Portrait of woman suffering obsessive Envy

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/featuredarticle-2000-11-port5.html

    In this painting the woman looks old and cranky. she looks the type of person who is alway playing games, to get what she wants as shes jealous. Her expression reminds  me of the evil queen in snow white, who is jealous of her step daughters beauty. in the story she turns into a old hag to give snow white a poison apple.


https://www.pinterest.com/milantarot/no%C4%87-ve%C5%A1tica-halloween/

   I really think the same personality is in these both figures.

 In the painting you can see her frown lines in the middle of her head . This portrays a angry personality. She has a faint smile, which probably is when one of her evil plans work she cackles that shes succeeded in revenge or got her own way. Shes ugly  so Im guessing beauty and happiness are two things that she wanted but never got. The painting is again similar to the first one I talked about, where the artist as made sure the viewer is drawn to the face to see the expression.
      Gericault's and Delcroix;s artwork has made me realise, theres more to figure painting than just painting a figure/person. You have to also involve the personality of that person and look at their facial expressions to go with that personality, which tells the viewer a story. I am going to keep this in mind when working on my own figures in the next assignment.

Perspective

    My Tutor told me to relook at one point perspective, as I didn't do it correctly in last assignment. I decided to look on internet and I also found some useful websites and youtube videos:

Linkhttp://www.technologystudent.com/designpro/perspec1.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/design/graphics/drawingformalrev2.shtml
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Draw-A-Room-Using-One-Point-Perspective/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEymIyLbiAI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mjSDIBaUlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY0H1dH_fIk

    Well, after looking on the internet, it made me realised that I thought I knew how to do it, but maybe I should've looked on the internet first, to refresh my memory. Last time I did it was when I was in Sixth-form at school. I have learnt from it, so Ill make sure from now I look more before I leap. 

   I saw a video on youtube of someone creating curved steps. that video has really inspired me as there was so much detail in the finished drawing but was easy to achieve, once you get the rules and knowledge of one point perspective (last link above).

  I did a practice of what I studied on the internet in my sketch book and I think I have got a better grasp of where lines go now and to use a ruler. I will practice some more and I will use this, to help with the figure in a interior exercise, which is coming up in the next assignment.