Block Print
Critical Investigation:
Artist Inspiration:
Peter Paul Rubens Peter Paul Rubens was a baroque artist. He had combined the old style of Italian Renaissance with Italian Baroque aesthetics to portray immense spirit. His paintings were mostly made of oil, but he also used wood and turpentine. His subject matters consisted of religious figures, historical workings, hunting scenes and animals, portraits, and landscapes. Ruben in his paintings had glorified somewhat uneventful, boring life, and transformed them. He did this through exaggeration and splendor of scenes. Peter Paul Rubens's compositions compositions are best described as powerful and forceful, with the viewer being faced with overwhelming displays of emotion. is well known due to his affirmation of the beauty and sensuality of the plus-sized, nude woman. His fondness of nude, voluptuous, and plump women are featured wherever possible in his paintings. Culture: During the 17th century, it was not self-evident for women to be posing nude. It was fashionable at this time period for women to be meaty. At the time, Ruben helped in the idealization of this as the womanly figure by painting women who carried some weight.to them. |
Rubens- Venus at the Mirror,1614-1615, Oil on panel
From Wikimedia Commons, the Free Media Repository. "File:Peter Paul Rubens - The Toilet of Venus.jpg." File:Peter Paul Rubens - The Toilet of Venus.jpg. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 11 July 2016. Web. Behind Venus at the Mirror:
Venus at the Mirror was staged in front of a mirror held by cupid to reveal the ultimate beauty she has to the viewer. The fact that her face is shown makes it seem as if she is almost aware of the viewer, which makes her all the more bold when displaying sensuality produced through her skin and silky hair. Her beauty in heightened through the expensive looking and simplistic jewelry, and the thin veil wrapped around her. Not only does it enhance her beauty, but it also enhances her nakedness. The viewer is almost encountering Venus herself, and the fact that you are drawn to Venus, plays on the fact that you were drawn to her by cupid. |
Rubens-Venus Frigida, 1614. Oil on panel
Studio. "Sensation and Sensuality: Rubens and His Legacy, Studio International."Studio International. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2016. Behind Venus Frigida: This Venus Frigida, or frozen Venus, is presented in foreground, middle ground, and a background. The background is up North, where its cold, thus the "frigida". Its dark landscape to the left and the tree trunks to the right are later additions to the composition. This is not where Venus is from, which is why she is not used to the cold. Venus is displayed in the foreground, with her back turned to the viewer. She is crunched up trying to keep herself warm, along with Cupid. He has exchanged his arrows of love for a loincloth. A satyr is the male figure behind them. He carries a cornucopia filled with delicacies. |
Planning and Journaling
Sketches:
I began with sketches of women. I wanted the theme to be nymphs, and for this particular piece, I chose water because, thinking ahead of time, it seemed that it would be easier to carve into.
The first sketch was meant to show exaggerated beauty with the face and long, extending, flowing hair. I decided that this would not use this as my final piece because it wan't at all that dramatic and i felt that it didn't play off of my inspiration pieces too much.
The second sketch was, by far, my favorite. It had incorporated background, middle ground, and foreground. The scene also had a very dramatic sense to it with the crashing waves and suggested body position on the rock. I got the idea from Ruben's Venus Frigida, in which she is sitting on something, but I much rather liked her to be sitting up right rather than hunched over. This made my figure seem proud of her body, which is the message id want to convey. I also liked the play on the majestic flowing hair and added it to the sketch. If you were to look closely, there are small indentations and water hanging from her. This suggests that she is actually made of water.
The third sketch had the same dramatic sense to it, but I wasn't quite as attached to it as I was with the second sketch. It lacked detail and depth. I did like the body position and waves surrounding my figure, but I would much rather use it for a different piece instead.
I began with sketches of women. I wanted the theme to be nymphs, and for this particular piece, I chose water because, thinking ahead of time, it seemed that it would be easier to carve into.
The first sketch was meant to show exaggerated beauty with the face and long, extending, flowing hair. I decided that this would not use this as my final piece because it wan't at all that dramatic and i felt that it didn't play off of my inspiration pieces too much.
The second sketch was, by far, my favorite. It had incorporated background, middle ground, and foreground. The scene also had a very dramatic sense to it with the crashing waves and suggested body position on the rock. I got the idea from Ruben's Venus Frigida, in which she is sitting on something, but I much rather liked her to be sitting up right rather than hunched over. This made my figure seem proud of her body, which is the message id want to convey. I also liked the play on the majestic flowing hair and added it to the sketch. If you were to look closely, there are small indentations and water hanging from her. This suggests that she is actually made of water.
The third sketch had the same dramatic sense to it, but I wasn't quite as attached to it as I was with the second sketch. It lacked detail and depth. I did like the body position and waves surrounding my figure, but I would much rather use it for a different piece instead.
Process |
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Experimentation and Reflection:These were my first three trials.The first is on the far right. I hadn't put enough ink on. With the second in the middle, I didn't press hard enough to transfer properly. The final on the left. I was most satisfied with how the print came out. However, I was not fully content with the outcome because there wasn't enough contrast. There was too much line work going on to be able to fully grasp a nymph in water, sitting on a rock, and being hit by waves. I decided to go back and rework my piece by carving out more positive space. This would create more contrast within my piece by adding more white when being printed. It would create more unity with my piece, making the lines of the waves less distracting. Afterwards, I would repeat the printing process to have my final piece. Overall, I am content with how my piece turned out. I feel that the message is nicely conveyed through the intentions once you grasp the figure. One thing that I would have changed if I were to do it again, would be to add less detail, like the droplets of water hanging from the hair. It creates a little distraction and makes the figure stand out more from the background and foreground by having carved out the skin of the figure so that it would create enough contrast to have popped out more from the background instead of having just a lot of line work.
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Critique:
Comparing my work against Rubens' work, I can see that he had influenced my piece greatly. I decided to incorporate a lot of things that Rubens used. For example, looking at Venus at the Mirror, I had used the idea of placing my subject facing opposite of the viewer, with her back and " lower backside attributes" exposed. I liked the upright position that Venus at the Mirror used, but I also liked how you could see a little of her side in Venus Frigida. I also liked the concept of having foreground, middle ground, and background in Venus Frigida. Implemented from both inspiration pieces were the nude female figure sitting in a dramatic scene . The overall composition, is very centered, but the figure is off to the right of the piece, much like Venus Frigida.
Contrasting my work against Rubens', it is clear that the mediums are vastly different. I carved into linoleum block tile and he used oil on panel. The color scheme in Rubens' art work ranges in color variety, while of course, block print limits it into one specific color. In this case it was black and the positive was white. The setting I chose for the scene was in a body of water.
Contrasting my work against Rubens', it is clear that the mediums are vastly different. I carved into linoleum block tile and he used oil on panel. The color scheme in Rubens' art work ranges in color variety, while of course, block print limits it into one specific color. In this case it was black and the positive was white. The setting I chose for the scene was in a body of water.
Connecting to ACT:
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause and effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect upon your artwork.
Ruben had a major influence on my work had incorporated background, middle ground, and foreground. The scene also had a very dramatic sense to it with the crashing waves and suggested body position on the rock. I got the idea from Ruben's Venus Frigida, in which she is sitting on something, but I much rather liked her to be sitting up right rather than hunched over. This made my figure seem proud of her body, which is the message id want to convey.
What was the overall approach (point of view) the author (form your research) has regarding the topics of your inspiration?
Rubens views women as being all beautiful no matter their lumps, curves, size, or rolls. Its the confidence in ones body that is most attractive because it heightens the natural beauty in all aspects of the body, even those that may otherwise be viewed as ugly or unwanted. It is demonstrated by the accurate portrayal of a heavier female's nude who is proud of her physique.
What kinds of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
During the 17th century it was not self evident to present nudes. If there was a nude, it was mostly of women in a openly, proud manner. It was actually quite attractive and fashionable for women to be plus sized.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
I was really trying to look for pieces that would glorify the natural physical body. Within my research, I really liked how Ruben had dramatized the scene to create empowering confidence of self pride in women and comfort-ability with their body.
What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
I figured that Rubens was a man who appreciated women of all sizes and their confidence on their body. Throughout his artwork, he adds nude women wherever possible, and they aren't plus sized. They each are unique and its a celebration of pride in being unique.
Ruben had a major influence on my work had incorporated background, middle ground, and foreground. The scene also had a very dramatic sense to it with the crashing waves and suggested body position on the rock. I got the idea from Ruben's Venus Frigida, in which she is sitting on something, but I much rather liked her to be sitting up right rather than hunched over. This made my figure seem proud of her body, which is the message id want to convey.
What was the overall approach (point of view) the author (form your research) has regarding the topics of your inspiration?
Rubens views women as being all beautiful no matter their lumps, curves, size, or rolls. Its the confidence in ones body that is most attractive because it heightens the natural beauty in all aspects of the body, even those that may otherwise be viewed as ugly or unwanted. It is demonstrated by the accurate portrayal of a heavier female's nude who is proud of her physique.
What kinds of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, cultures, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
During the 17th century it was not self evident to present nudes. If there was a nude, it was mostly of women in a openly, proud manner. It was actually quite attractive and fashionable for women to be plus sized.
What was the central idea or theme around your inspirational research?
I was really trying to look for pieces that would glorify the natural physical body. Within my research, I really liked how Ruben had dramatized the scene to create empowering confidence of self pride in women and comfort-ability with their body.
What kind of inferences (conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning) did you make while reading your research?
I figured that Rubens was a man who appreciated women of all sizes and their confidence on their body. Throughout his artwork, he adds nude women wherever possible, and they aren't plus sized. They each are unique and its a celebration of pride in being unique.