I was required to take Painting II for my concentration in visual and performing arts for my childhood education major. For a number of reasons, I just didn’t really like painting II as much as painting I and decided that I would not continue to take painting courses after this one. We had no specific assignments, little feedback, and at first, had to create one new painting each week. I struggled a lot with inspiration and finding the time to paint one painting each week, and I also just didn’t like the process as much. In addition, we had to paint a smaller, quicker painting each 3-hour class period (which meant, for the first few weeks of class, we were doing 2 paintings per week). Almost every single class period we painted from a live nude model. While very challenging at first, I think I did start to get the hang of it towards the end. Despite struggling, I did make it out alive and had a couple of paintings I’m pretty proud of. I am going to truncate this post in case people don’t want to see my nude paintings. Read on below the rest of the painting if you’d like to see all of my paintings.
For the first week, I had something totally different planned, but it didn’t turn out, so I ended up doing an abstract sunset over the ocean.
I then did a painting based off a photo my brother took in Switzerland. I discovered ends of logs are very difficult to paint. It’s not my favorite painting in terms of how good (or not good) it is technically, but it is a meaningful painting for me, so I do like it in that sense.
For my third painting, I used an image I found online as my base. It is of balloons at dusk. It’s an ok painting, but isn’t the most interesting.
The next painting is my favorite of the semester. I used a photo from online that is of a bubble over a Norwegian fjord with the sunrise reflected from behind. I loved the photo and I love the painting.
My final painting was the most original in content, but a little too “cute-sy”. It’s ok, but again, not the most interesting. I’m pretty proud of the ant, though. It was pretty difficult. (Please excuse the photo- I never got a good picture of this one)
Now for the paintings I did in class.
The first was a smaller painting and although it is ok, you’ll definitely be able to see that I improved over the next several weeks.
We then had a 60-70 year old male model. Again, I don’t love this painting.
We then had another female model. I like this painting the most of all of my nudes.
For the next painting, the model wore an animal pellet attached to her head. We were encouraged to place her in a different background and to think of it in terms of a sort of neolithic setting. I don’t really love the painting, but my professor was pretty impressed with it and thought it was a very good painting.
Although certainly not my favorite art class so far, I did learn quite a bit, especially about painting from life and painting skin tones. Look for my post about ceramics tomorrow!
The Oke Den 