Dry point
"A Woodland Nymphs Body Dissatisfaction"
(Mind and Body series) Size: 17.5cm x 12.5cm Medium: Plastic Date: 11/01/16 |
Exhibition TextAs a continuation of A Water Nymphs Body Pride, my intentions were to emphasize the female nude as something beautiful, even though she is unsatisfied with her body. Many woman are and often people find it awkward to view the female nude, especially in front of others. Ruben had wanted to exposed the beauty in nudes and with this, I was inspired to do the same.
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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, Greek myths, 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. |
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Planning and Journaling
Sketches:
I created sketches from which I would use as a template after I chose which one I liked best.
I created sketches from which I would use as a template after I chose which one I liked best.
Process:
***Click or hover to display Caption
***Click or hover to display Caption
Reflection:
The process was difficult because I wasn't really sure how much ink to leave in or scratch out. I also wasn't sure of how slow to put it through the printing press. I trusted my instincts and used cross hatching with the knife and put it through the printing press. The first time, I realized that I hadn't gone deep enough for the lines of the body groves, but it was better to not risk messing it up by going over them again because they were very thin. If I were to do it over again, that is the only thing I would fix. Overall, I am very much pleased with my piece and the amount of detail I put in. I am also happy with how clean it came out.
I feel that the message that I was trying to convey comes across nicely. You can tell by the facial expression that the woodland nymph creates. You can also see a resemblance to Rubens' "Andromeda." My intentions are executed and displayed in a way that I am most happy with.
I feel that the message that I was trying to convey comes across nicely. You can tell by the facial expression that the woodland nymph creates. You can also see a resemblance to Rubens' "Andromeda." My intentions are executed and displayed in a way that I am most happy with.
Critique:
My piece and my inspiration pieces share common aspects. For example, both contain a female nude full body figure posing. Just like Andromeda, my piece has the subject at the center of the piece. Another thing they have in common is that that they are both outdoors. The body positioning are very similar as well. I placed the nymph in the same angle that Judgment of Paris had Andromeda in. I also used almost the same position where the arm is up above the head. The background scene is less dramatized like Andromeda. I also used the same direction of light source that my two inspiration pieces.
Differences in my piece and my inspiration pieces are that obviously they are not the same figures or in the same exact setting. The medium I used was a plastic plate and the method I used was crosshatching by scratching and then printing with oil based ink through a press. Ruben had painted oil on canvas using an abundance of color, but used mostly greens, blues, yellows, and flesh tones.. His paintings had a sense of being three dimensional.
Differences in my piece and my inspiration pieces are that obviously they are not the same figures or in the same exact setting. The medium I used was a plastic plate and the method I used was crosshatching by scratching and then printing with oil based ink through a press. Ruben had painted oil on canvas using an abundance of color, but used mostly greens, blues, yellows, and flesh tones.. His paintings had a sense of being three dimensional.
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. I liked the centered figure in the less important background in Andromeda. It made the figure be the only thing looked at. The setting didn't need to be too detailed for the piece to look nice. This brought more focus and balance to my work since it has a lot of detail already within the figure. Although Andromeda and Judgment of Paris are similar, I liked the positioning that Judgment of Paris had better and decided to use that angle for my piece.
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 wanted to portray dissatisfaction with ones female body even though, clearly, its beautiful. This series shows the contrast between feeling beautiful and feeling insecure.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. Seeing how beautiful she was and knowing she was displeased with her body would make some want to do something to make her realize it
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. I liked the centered figure in the less important background in Andromeda. It made the figure be the only thing looked at. The setting didn't need to be too detailed for the piece to look nice. This brought more focus and balance to my work since it has a lot of detail already within the figure. Although Andromeda and Judgment of Paris are similar, I liked the positioning that Judgment of Paris had better and decided to use that angle for my piece.
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 wanted to portray dissatisfaction with ones female body even though, clearly, its beautiful. This series shows the contrast between feeling beautiful and feeling insecure.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. Seeing how beautiful she was and knowing she was displeased with her body would make some want to do something to make her realize it
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.