Disillusionment
Acrylic on canvas
36 x 36 Inches
11·20·2016
Exhibition text
Disillusionment
Acrylic on canvas
36 x 36 Inches
11·20·2016
This painting was meant to mimic Tony Bevans grotesque and insane looking figures. This look was achieved using deep red colors and large lacerations all over the face. The face in the painting also displays a vacant expression which alongside the bloody lines creates a piece that displays psychological insanity or an extreme mental state.
Disillusionment
Acrylic on canvas
36 x 36 Inches
11·20·2016
This painting was meant to mimic Tony Bevans grotesque and insane looking figures. This look was achieved using deep red colors and large lacerations all over the face. The face in the painting also displays a vacant expression which alongside the bloody lines creates a piece that displays psychological insanity or an extreme mental state.
Inspiration
The inspiration for this piece came from Tony Bevans 'Head'. Tony Bevan is a British artist that mostly creates art surrounding the idea of psychological insanity and extreme mental states. These themes are conveyed through the use of strange head positions and facial expressions, such as the head tilted upward and the blank expression on the mans face in Head. He also uses rich colors, deep blacks, and jagged, bloody lines to create a sort of strange and dark fantasy.
The inspiration for this piece came from Tony Bevans 'Head'. Tony Bevan is a British artist that mostly creates art surrounding the idea of psychological insanity and extreme mental states. These themes are conveyed through the use of strange head positions and facial expressions, such as the head tilted upward and the blank expression on the mans face in Head. He also uses rich colors, deep blacks, and jagged, bloody lines to create a sort of strange and dark fantasy.
Tony Bevan 'Head'
Process
Planning
I was originally going to create a painting based on one of Picasso's blue period self portraits but I was never able to achieve a satisfactory look so I completely changed my artistic inspiration several days before the project was due. In this stage of my final painting I immediately thought of a painter that I liked and believed that I could recreate one of his pieces in a short amount of time, this was english artist Tony Bevan.
I was originally going to create a painting based on one of Picasso's blue period self portraits but I was never able to achieve a satisfactory look so I completely changed my artistic inspiration several days before the project was due. In this stage of my final painting I immediately thought of a painter that I liked and believed that I could recreate one of his pieces in a short amount of time, this was english artist Tony Bevan.
Experimentation
During the process of making this painting I had many difficulties. I originally was going to create a painting based on Picasso's painting 'Self Portrait 1901' but I was unable to achieve a look that I liked so I switched my inspiration to Tony Bevan. I only switched my artist inspiration a few days before the painting was due so I rushed through the painting process and my background is much darker than I wanted and the bloody marks on my face look messy when I originally wanted to make them crisp and clean.
During the process of making this painting I had many difficulties. I originally was going to create a painting based on Picasso's painting 'Self Portrait 1901' but I was unable to achieve a look that I liked so I switched my inspiration to Tony Bevan. I only switched my artist inspiration a few days before the painting was due so I rushed through the painting process and my background is much darker than I wanted and the bloody marks on my face look messy when I originally wanted to make them crisp and clean.
Process
The first step in creating this piece was to build the canvas from which I would paint on. To do this I simply put together the pre-cut pieces of wood to build the inital frame. I then cut out a square piece of canvas a few inches larger than the frame and then stapled it into the frame. The next step in this process was to put gesso onto the blank canvas to create a better surface for painting. Once the gesso had dried I painted on a blue background for my original inspiration which was a painting from Picasso's blue period. I then drew a grid onto the canvas and used an image of my face with a grid over it to draw my face onto the blue background. Once my face was transfered onto the canvas with enough detail I began to paint my face. I worked on this until I decided that I would never achieve the look that I wanted so I painted over that painting with red. I then used a projector to project my face onto the red background and I outlined my face and facial features which was far more accurate than using the grid method. When my face was completely outlined onto the red backgorund I used a basic skin color to color in most of the face and then I painted in the rest of my facial features. When the face was completely filled in I started painting red lines all around the face until it looked sufficiently bloody and disturbing.
The first step in creating this piece was to build the canvas from which I would paint on. To do this I simply put together the pre-cut pieces of wood to build the inital frame. I then cut out a square piece of canvas a few inches larger than the frame and then stapled it into the frame. The next step in this process was to put gesso onto the blank canvas to create a better surface for painting. Once the gesso had dried I painted on a blue background for my original inspiration which was a painting from Picasso's blue period. I then drew a grid onto the canvas and used an image of my face with a grid over it to draw my face onto the blue background. Once my face was transfered onto the canvas with enough detail I began to paint my face. I worked on this until I decided that I would never achieve the look that I wanted so I painted over that painting with red. I then used a projector to project my face onto the red background and I outlined my face and facial features which was far more accurate than using the grid method. When my face was completely outlined onto the red backgorund I used a basic skin color to color in most of the face and then I painted in the rest of my facial features. When the face was completely filled in I started painting red lines all around the face until it looked sufficiently bloody and disturbing.
Reflection
Over the course of this project I have realized how much I don't like painting. No matter how many times I tried I could never get the same effect with the paint as Picasso was able to, although this could be because he was using oil paints and I used acrylics. I am pleased with my final painting though, I think it's visually appealing to some degree and is significantly better than my original attempt at recreating the Picasso painting. Another failure in my project was that I switched my artist inspiration a few days before the painting was due so the final piece is rushed and that can easily be seen in the final painting. My meaning was another component of this painting that I didn't think enough about, since the piece was rushed I didn't focus much on creating a coherent and intelligent meaning and instead spent most of my time trying to make it look good. The final meaning that I did end up with is not conveyed as clearly as I could have but I believe that the painting does reflect some ideas of my meaning.
Over the course of this project I have realized how much I don't like painting. No matter how many times I tried I could never get the same effect with the paint as Picasso was able to, although this could be because he was using oil paints and I used acrylics. I am pleased with my final painting though, I think it's visually appealing to some degree and is significantly better than my original attempt at recreating the Picasso painting. Another failure in my project was that I switched my artist inspiration a few days before the painting was due so the final piece is rushed and that can easily be seen in the final painting. My meaning was another component of this painting that I didn't think enough about, since the piece was rushed I didn't focus much on creating a coherent and intelligent meaning and instead spent most of my time trying to make it look good. The final meaning that I did end up with is not conveyed as clearly as I could have but I believe that the painting does reflect some ideas of my meaning.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork.
The position of the head and red marks all over the face are clearly present in both.
What is the overall approach the author has taken regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The information about Tony Bevan was strictly biographical and neither of the authors expressed their personal opinions on the artist.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I learned about the stereotypes surrounding people with mental illnesses and how many people will automatically assume negative things about people with mental illnesses.
What is the central theme or idea around your central research?
My central theme was the idea of being trapped by a mental illness and feeling that you are powerless over it.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I inferred that Tony Bevan was a witness to mental deterioration and extreme psychological states because most of his art depicts these things.
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork.
The position of the head and red marks all over the face are clearly present in both.
What is the overall approach the author has taken regarding the topic of your inspiration?
The information about Tony Bevan was strictly biographical and neither of the authors expressed their personal opinions on the artist.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
I learned about the stereotypes surrounding people with mental illnesses and how many people will automatically assume negative things about people with mental illnesses.
What is the central theme or idea around your central research?
My central theme was the idea of being trapped by a mental illness and feeling that you are powerless over it.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I inferred that Tony Bevan was a witness to mental deterioration and extreme psychological states because most of his art depicts these things.