Painting 1 Portfolio
This course is a basic study of visual issues as they relate to pictorial space. Specific problems may involve still life, landscape, human figure (clothed and unclothed), or concept. Projects include monochromatic statements and the complexities of color. A technical understanding of oil media, a visual vocabulary, and the beginning of a personal investigation are stressed. Course format consists primarily of studio work and practice with faculty guidance through lecture and critique. Grading is based on the quality and improvement of work, participation in class critiques, and attendance. Written work may be required. A technical text may be assigned. The University Art Museum, Art Library, and School galleries are supplementary resources. Required materials include a complete list of oil painting supplies. The course is taught primarily by a faculty member with the assistance of a TA.
Homework Paintings
For the duration of this course, there was a homework painting for every week due on class on Monday. Every Monday every student would hang up their homework pieces and the class would take breaks from the projects we were currently working on and look at each others paintings. Below are my homework paintings in order, with the theme of my iridescent umbrella.
Project 1: Still Life
In this project the teacher put a colorful still life in the center of the room. I happened to bring two canvases that were too small by accident and I was sitting in a corner so I decided to use both of the canvas's to create both sides of the corner of the still life. We worked with oil paints on canvas, for around 2 days a week in 3 weeks, so for about 9 hours in total.
Project 2 : Abstraction
In this project the teacher had us get shapes from our daily lives. I chose some cube frameworks I saw in the corner of my 3D Design class and I combined 3 photos and colored in colors in the spaces where they overlapped. We worked with oil paints on canvas for around 3 days a week for 2 weeks, or about 6 hours in total.
Project 3 : Reflection
In this project the teacher set out a wide still life on a platform in the middle of the room. It had mirrors on the base and many reflective materials over the mirrors. She challenged us to use mixtures of oil paints to create grays and more muted colors. We worked on this painting for 2 weeks or about 6 hours all together, and I was the only one in my class to paint the whole thing.
Project 4 : Self Portrait
In this project the teacher introduced us to many abstract self portrait painters, who works with using abstract shapes to create portraits of herself and others. She had us choose any shape or color or vibe and create a self portrait. The shape I chose for this project was an easel with a blank piece of paper on it. The meaning is quite simple and deep, my mom and my mom's mom, and her mom going back many generations into the early 1900's and before were all artists in the United States. My family home is decorated with art from my great great grandmother, my great grandmother, my grandmother, my mom and me and my sisters art. Therefore in my art piece my family is the easel holding me up to the world, and I am that blank piece of paper slowly becoming painted and coming into view.
Project 5 : Landscape
In this project we were directed to go out on the porch area outside the painting classroom and paint the small pond beneath us. The twist was we were only able to paint indoors using just our memory. We were allowed to go in and out of the classroom as many times as we needed but we could not take a photo of the landscape. In mine I think anyone can see I do not have that good of a memory but I made up for that with creativity. I knew I would not be able to paint the rocks on the right side as detailed as I wanted so I opted to use the excess color I had from painting other parts of the painting to make swatches at random angles to mimic the chaos of the rocks.
