Why Oil Paint?

Oil paint is made out of pigment and linseed oil. You mix the two together with certain amounts of each; more pigment than oil.  "The world's first oil paintings go back nearly 14 centuries to murals in Afghanistan's Bamiyan caves, a Japanese researcher says." www.rawa.org. Based on this article oil painting came from Afghanistan in 650 AD. Oil paint is highly used because it takes a lot of time to dry. Artists can go back and wipe away a mistake more easily than with regular paint that dries much quicker. Artists use oil paint because of its versatility in texture, color, and what all you can do with it. The thickness of the paint is richer than most paint and because it dries slower artists can go back and change their work and not paint over hard old paint. Because of the texture of oil paint artists can make their artwork more realistic than what they would be able to do with other types of paints. 

What is a Portrait?

A portrait is a visual representation of a person or people. 

"Portrait of the Artists Mother"

This person seems like someone who is very serious. She is looking straight ahead of her with no expression on her face. Her hands are positioned on her lap and she is sitting very straight. The clothes that she is wearing are black and white, no color at all. The clothes are also old fashioned and cover all her skin besides her face, there is even cloth covering her hands. I think this is a very classic portrait, having someone pose and then the artist paint what they see. 

"Mother and Child" by: Mary Cassat 

The mother in the picture seems very caring, she is holding on to her daughter and looking at her. The colors in the painting are inviting they are light a lot of white and peach color. It feels like the child is in very safe hands and feels safe. 

"Portrait of Chess Player" by Mar

This portrait is very cool because there are no actual people in it. However if you look you closely can make out two people in the shapes closley  that are playing chess. I didn't realize that they were playing chess until I read the title. The artist does a great job of using shapes to create the bodies. I think this artist defiantly reinvents the concept of a portrait. 

still life set up

A Sense of Place

Carl Holsoe

Edward Hopper

Carl Holsoe's painting had a sad mood to it. None of the colors stand out, they are all very simple. The woman in the painting is another reason it looks sad because the way her body is formed and she is looking out the window, it just gives off a sad vibe for me. 

Edward Hopper's painting gives a fantasy vibe. There is a room and out the door is the ocean. The colors are bright and welcoming. This is defiantly a more happy painting. It draws the viewer in. 

Where are you at?

What has been the most challenging aspect of the course so far?

The most challenging part of the course so far has been creating the illusion of texture and showing that objects are on something and are not just floating. 

In what areas have you progressed the most and how have you progressed? 

I have progressed in creating the correct shades with the limited colors provided by trying different colors and also asking Miss Roberts. 

How does looking at examples of paintings from throughout history affect us as painters today?

I think that by looking at other paintings helps us get new ideas from them. Also we learn what some of them did that make their painting look really good. Looking at other paintings also broadens our artistic minds.