I'm seeing compositions everywhere. I've got 16 drawings down, 14 to go by Monday. Yes, that would be 30 drawings -- and we were given one week to complete them. (This is Melissa, by the way... no, Andrea hasn't been roped into teaching art on top of everything else at that crazy school). Of course I'm blissfully and restfully not thinking about work right now, but calm reflection is okay. WHY WOULD ANYONE EVER CHOOSE TO BE AN ART MAJOR? 30 drawings is pretty crazy (in all fairness, they're only supposed to be 10 minute drawings, but with preparation and proper psyching-up, that's still a whole lotta time and energy), but I'm learning a lot, and I think this art stuff is starting to sink in. I'm starting to see why some compositions work and others don't, why something on the left side of the page has more visual weight than something on the right, how large shapes catch more attention on top than on the bottom, since the viewer subconsciously expects heavier things to be grounded. Cool, eh? A lot of it really breaks down to a science, and learning the tricks of the trade is kind of like learning a secret language. All these things that I could see vaguely before, but now I know why they work... it's kind of exciting. A little weird too, because I'm learning to appreciate art that, to the average Philistine (hehe), just looks like a bunch of lines or scribbles or confusing shapes drawn by a five-year-old. It may not be all that aesthetically pleasing on first glance, but it makes SENSE! The artist knew what he was doing! And it's all pointing more and more to an Artist who most certainly knows what HE is doing. I feel like I'm starting to catch new glimpses into the mysteries of Heaven as I increasingly notice how amazing light is, and what an infinite number of shapes and colors and perfect compositions are contained in God's creation. WOW! I know the God who thought all this stuff up! And all these insightful but often extremely worldly artists haven't even scratched the surface of the Beauty that will someday be revealed in its entirety.
Oh, and...Mind-Expanding Blogging Quiz!!...anybody know what that fancy art word in the title means? About the cellar part -- I found out (after a not-so-encouraging critique) that I can focus neither in my room nor in the middle of humanity downstairs (not that there's much humanity left around here these days...), and my art prof suggested that I really need to do something different, like come in and draw at school. Ew. Instead, I have sequestered myself in the basement. My garret, as it were. Though "garret" brings to mind words like "high" and "airy" and "bright"... instead of ones like "underground," "musty," and "dark," which much more aptly fit the space. Oh well -- whatever works. Dungeonlike or not, it's a change of scenery with plenty of room, away from distraction. And I can adjust the light; before, I was waiting until it got dark enough to draw without having to deal with natural light (not really a great time-management technique). If I keep working down there, I'm hoping to jazz it up a little by putting up inspirational posters with slogans such as "CONTRAST BUILDS CONFIDENCE!" and "LIGHT MAKES RIGHT!" Hope nobody was hoping to play ping-pong or pool anytime soon... the charcoal is flying.
15 comments:
After extensive, almost unsabbatic, research[i went to google] here is what I found :)
chiaroscuro - A word borrowed from Italian ("light and shade" or "dark") referring to the modeling of volume by depicting light and shade by contrasting them boldly.
And you, sister, are doomed to be an artist. When you can start seeing patterns and reasons in modern art, well, I realize you have crossed the edge over to the dark side. Farewell, sniff, sniff. It was nice knowing you.
Hahahahahaha :)
Ah,I thought I'd heard that word, but I had no clue! Nice meaning...that's the only kind of drawing I CAN do (or did, back in my Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain days).
Nice work, Meliss! May your basement be filled with inspiration!
I can relate to a lot of your post! I've been going through something similar in the music world, though not as scientific as yours sounded. I kind of feel guilty when I listen to a revolting modern piece and understand what's going on, or sit in awe of the amazing sounds when I would never previously have identified them as music. Well, often I still don't.
And your basement! I had the same experience! I used to do all my composing in our family room, and it could be so unprofitable because that's where our family watches movies. Hahaha. That was a bad combo. So my parents moved me downstairs, and my dad did sheetrocking and painting and finished the ceiling so I have my own composing office. It's wonderful!!!
wow,art is so amazing and you remind me of that over and over again. I'm jealous that you're learning all this. I wish I could see that modern art really works. Even that strange statue outside the Lion Gate in Jerusalem? Remember that? I think we all have pictures of it. Ok, Chow. Oh and it was fun talking to you outside the cuban restaurant.
Very interesting stuff, Melissa. I, too am jealous of the opportunity though it sure sounds like a lot of work! Some of your comments remind me of things Grandpa Sawtelle would say and of his many quotes about art philosophy hung around his own basement work area for inspiration.
I did know what chiaroscuro was ... if only from watching Strong Bad.
Also appreciating modern art is cool, and Ryu doesn't know what he is talking about (because I who obviously am not an artist can also appreciate art just as non-cooks can also appreciate good food).
On the other hand, calling your basement a "garret" is a definite sign of artist-ness.
As an onlooker here, I'd like to let you all know that Melissa is really doing some incredible things. It's amazing to watch it happen.
AND (ahem ahem) she is the BEST IN HER CLASS!!! Blowing everybody else OUT OF THE WATER!
But of course, those of us who have seen her work never doubted that she would be at the top.
Oh, yes, about chiaroscuro...I think I'd heard about it because there's a parallel in music, but I can't remember what the musical parallel is. We tend to steal a lot of terms from art and apply them to music. Like pointillism, and impressionism, and a lot of other things I can't think of right now.
Wow! Top in the class! You go girl!
I have to take exception to MR Old Dude! Appreciating food is vastly different from seeing reasonings behind squiggly'ness and splatters[even if they are there :)]
Shame on you for comparing to the two! Fie and a pox on your head! :)
ps, my wident word was "xhzguuz". now what in the world is that about!?!
Well I take exception to YOU you young whippersnapper!
Cooking IS an art, just like painting, sculpting, composing, and plumbing (I think we have had this conversation a number of times before). Pox on your house! And bubonic plague for good measure!
As for xhzguuz, wow that sounds like a really cool name for a race of aliens (maybe reptilian with a hive mind and warlike tendencies). I wonder if Wident ever comes up with a real word now and then by sheer coincidence.
If this were a forum I would definitely reply to several of the comments, but since it isn't I'll just stick with a ditto.
Nice going Meliss. Good to hear that things are going well, even if crazily.
lol...
Hi Melissa!
Glad to read about what you are up to...
"Chiaroscuro" did ring a bell for me too,
from my art history days...You are amazing
with all your drawing. Are they lots of still
life subjects?
Alas, I wracked my brains, but couldn't remember anything, except hearing it in Art History...But it all comes back to me now. Thanks for looking it up for the rest of us Derrick...And Craig, I think in music it's like those sudden contrasts in dynamics? Maybe from the Baroque period. Sound familiar? I'm not really sure, but I think I remember hearing it there too...
Yay! i made it all the way to the bottom and NO ONE STOLE MY IDEA for a comment! I was thinking you should put up some posters in your basement that resemble Strong Bad posters...like that guy leaping out of the water and proclaiming, " I have FRIENDS!" and I think there was something about loafing on one of them too...
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