Dear Arty,
What is “Equivalent” as the term is used in Art ?
Thanks. Martin
Dear Martin
The concept of “equivalent” is an idea that seems to have originated in the photography world. It was first introduced by Alfred Stieglitz sometime in the 1920’s. Minor White, who spent time working with Stieglitz, did more to refine the idea through his work.
Stieglitz considered equivalent to mean the photographic image as a metaphor. It is an objective correlative for a particular feeling or state of being associated with something other than the ostensible subject.
“Equivalence is a function, an experience, not a thing. Any photograph, regardless of source, might function as an Equivalent to someone, sometime, someplace. If the individual viewer realizes that for him what he sees in a picture corresponds to something within himself—that is, the photograph mirrors something in himself—then his experience is some degree of Equivalence.” (Minor White, in the PSA Journal, Vol 29)
This isn’t true just for photographs, but for any artwork. A simple example is the person who buys a picture not because it is of a particular place or experience, but because it reminds them of that place or experience. I recently sold two works to a woman and when I asked her why she picked those she said that they reminded her of her recent trip to France, even though both pictures were taken locally. Some people might like an abstract works because it triggers an emotion or feeling while it doesn’t effect other people the same way.
Best, Arty
Dear Arty,
How would you decide if a work is defined as minimalist? Where did the movement come from?
Thanks.
Looking for the short of it, Ed
Dear Ed
Minimalist art is a style of art that pairs down the subject to the bare minimum of elements. It started in New York as a response to abstract expressionism and aims to remove any self-expression or emotions from the artwork. The aim is a totally visual experience. Some of the techniques or styles of minimalism include work constructed of geometric forms. Marcel Duchamp is probably most associated with the beginning of minimalism, but other artists such as Pablo Picasso and Georgio Morandi were also own to embrace minimalism. Minimalism was actually started as a philosophy as it was practiced in the form of 18th century Zen Philosophy where freedom and simplicity were the foundational principles.
Different arts have explored minimalism in their own way. The minimalist art of sculpture uses repetitive geometric shapes and you can see this in many public works. One of the most extreme examples of minimalism can be found in music. Composer Yves Klein composed The “Monotone-Silence Symphony”, a work that consisted of one sustained chord for 20 minutes followed by 20 minutes of silence.
I find photography has a more interesting approach to minimalism by merely trying to eliminate unnecessary elements of a picture without eliminating all meaning or emotion. The use of negative space is critical to make the image successful.
If you want to see something that would fit into the minimalist category at the AFAF Gallery, check out the work of Chuck Keller.
Sorry Ed, but this was as minimalist as I could get for an explanation.
Best, Arty.
Dear Arty,
My photographer friend was talking about how some of the great artists used a “camera obscura” to create their paintings. What is a “camera obscura” and how is it related to art?
Thanks, Mary
Dear Mary,
“Obscura” is Latin for “dark chamber”. The “camera obscura” was the forerunner of the modern camera. If you take a box and poke a pinhole in one side, the image coming through the hole is projected on the opposite side of the box. The image will be upside down and reversed from left to right. This is a practical way to view a solar eclipse without damaging your eyes. The theory behind this has been around at least since the 10th century. Artists would use this technique to improve the detail and perspective in their paintings.
In some cases we know that an artist used a camera obscura in his work (one is 18th century artist Giovanni Antonio Canal, commonly known as Canaletto) whose camera obscura is in the Museo Correr. One famous painter, Johannes Vermeer, whose portrait “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (sometimes referred to as the “Mona Lisa of the North”) is suspected of using a camera obscura with a primitive lens. Part of the reason for this is the halation in Vermeer’s painting that is an effect you would get with a camera obscura with a primitive lens.
Other famous artists are also suspected of using a camera obscura, including Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci. The camera was an aide in the accuracy of the drawing and perspective. However, this was a strange process and one artist in the 16th century was arrested and prosecuted for sorcery. Check out Shi Guorui who is a current photographer who is creating an interesting body of work using a camera obscura.
Was this cheating in creating art? Yes and no, but that’s for another day.
Best, Arty
Dear Arty,
I love gold. But what is “gold leaf” and how is it used in art?
Thanks, Irene
Dear Irene,
From 400 AD gold leaf history was illuminated by manuscripts that were being created in Constantinople, Ireland and Italy. It was also used in sculpture and paintings. Gold was the color of the gods, the pharaohs, and the sarcophagi. Gold leaf was therefore mainly used for decorating the rooms in the pyramids that were intended as the pharaoh’s tomb. At the time of ancient Greece, gold leaf was mainly used to decorate statues. Another widespread application for gold leaf was that of halos.
In the world of modern painting, gold leaf was used by painters and artists to decorate various works. Of these artists, the most famous is undoubtedly Gustav Klimt (1862-1918).
During the 1800s, gold leaf history arrived at a turning point and underwent a new fashionable period in sculpture. An example of this new trend is the statue of Joan of Arc, created by Emmanuel Frémiet in 1874 to celebrate the medieval French heroine. The statue was recently restored with gold leaf by Giusto Manetti Battiloro.
These days, gold leaf continues to be used in art. One such example inspired from this kind of art is seen in photography and fashion. Most notably the famous picture of model Naomi Campbell covered with gold leaf.
I find that gold leaf is illuminating and can enhance many art pieces and give them a certain dramatic effect. Today, there are many “gold leaf” products available to highlight all kinds of arts and crafts works including picture frames, jewelry, paintings, metal works and even food! Applying gold leaf can have intricate techniques and may take practice. There is real gold leaf and imitation gold leaf. Do your research to decide which is best, and affordable, for your project.
Best,
Arty
Dear Arty,
I always see articles and people discussing the Impressionist and other European artists from the 19th century. What about American artists? Don’t we have some notables from the same time period?
Thanks, Sheila
Dear Sheila
Yes, we do. This actually was a period that gave us some of our best-known artists. Just look at James Abbott McNeill Whistler, John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt (even though she is frequently discussed with the French Impressionist, she was an American artist), Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer and George Inness. These are all internationally recognized as Masters.
In some cases, they seem to be thought of as European artists because much of their work and fame was achieved in Europe. For example, much of Whistler’s work with prints and oils was done in England. The Thames was a common source of inspiration for his work. Mary Cassatt went to Europe and Degas became her mentor and close friend. Whistler, Cassatt, and Sargent all established their reputations abroad because they chose to live and work in Europe.
One of the greatest American artists from this period, Winslow Homer, did go to Europe but spent very little time there. Although we normally associate Homer with incredibly powerful paintings of the sea, he was truly an Impressionist. He painted many of the same subjects that the Impressionist did ( “Croquet Scene”, “Women in the Garden” and “Long Branch, New Jersey” are all good examples) and had the same concerns of light and contrasting areas of vivid sunlight and muted shadows.
These are probably the best-known American artists of this time period but there are many others.
Best, Arty
Dear Arty,
We just got back from Italy where we stopped in Florence and saw Michelangelo’s David. It was an incredible work. I was curious though about the proportions because they don’t seem correct. The head and right hand seem to be too big for the body. Also, he seems to be thinner from front to back than a person should be and he seems to be in an unusual pose. What’s the story behind David’s proportions?
Thanks, Cindy
Dear Cindy
I agree with you that David is an incredible sculpture. One thing that surprised me when I saw it in person for the first time is the size. I knew that it was 17 feet tall but you don’t really internalize what that is until you’re standing next to it. As to the proportions, there are a number of reasons for them.
When Michelangelo was commissioned in 1501 to create the statue, the intent was that it would be one of a series of statues meant to adorn the roofline of Florence’s Cathedral dome. When the statue was finished in 1504, it was so beautiful that it was decided to keep it on the ground where it could be appreciated close up. Most scholars believe this is the reason for the strange proportions of the head and right hand. Michelangelo had created the sculpture to be placed on a roof and viewed from below which, given the viewing perspective, lead Michelangelo to make the head and right hand larger so that the perspective from the street highlighted the features he wanted people to see.
David’s body is thinner than a normal person and most experts believe this was necessary due to the block of marble that was used. The block of marble was actually used and discarded by two previous sculptors. The first was Agostino di Duccio who acquired the marble around 1460 to create a statue of Hercules but gave up after 10 years. The marble than moved to Antonio Rossellino who decided the marble was too hard to work. It then came to Michelangelo for his David.
The pose used by Michelangelo was a classical one known as contrapposto. This was appropriate for Michelangelo’s intent of showing David ready for combat (which is also why he is holding a sling that rests on his left shoulder) as he waits to face Goliath.
I hope you had time to explore the rest of the Galleria dell’Accademia, there are many magnificent works there.
Best, Arty
Dear Arty,
I recently visited an exhibit where most of the art pieces were created with… dots. What is that about?
Signed, Cecil
Dear Cecil,
Wow…you are fortunate to have seen an exhibit like this! Dot art –better known as Pointillism –covers many forms of art. Artists, graphic designers, photographers and illustrators are all experimenting with this exciting art technique. But whatever the medium, pointillism pieces all have one thing in common…the dot.
Georges Seurat and Paul Signac developed the technique in 1886, branching from Impressionism. The term “Pointillism” was coined by art critics in the late 1880s to ridicule the works of these artists, and is now used without its earlier mocking connotation.
The technique relies on the ability of the eye and mind of the viewer to blend the color spots into a fuller range of tones. In painting…Pointillism is very time consuming and relies on the idea that two colors placed closely together or just overlapping, from a distance…create the illusion of a single blended color. It focuses on the specific style of brushwork used to meticulously apply the paint in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image.
While Impressionists, such as Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh, often used small dabs and strokes of paint as part of their technique…Pointillism artists took this idea a step further, by painting tightly packed, individual dots of pure color.
French painter Georges Seurat, who founded the Neo-Impressionist movement created one of his greatest masterpieces, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte(1884–1886), and was one of the leading examples of Pointillism. The dotty composition depicts 19th century Parisians relaxing on the River Seine.
This technique has faded over the years but can notably be seen in the works Andy Warhol’s early works, and Pop Art. It has seen a resurgence…albeit in a different medium, with the digital age.
Pointillism is a fascinating art form and an excellent way to express yourself. It is a great exercise for your mind and eye to collaborate….no boundaries!
Glad you were able to see such an exhibit…
Arty
Dear Arty,
I often see notices for “en plein air” painting opportunities and I was wondering how outdoor painting got to be a “thing” for artists. Can you give me some background on how this got started and why it’s any better than painting in a studio?
Thanks, Stephanie
Dear Stephanie,
First the reason why. If an artist makes a landscape painting in the studio using his imagination or perhaps a sketch that he made outdoors, he losses the feeling of the scene that is created by the light at the time that he is painting the scene. The best way to capture the true effect of the light is to paint while you’re there in the moment. This fact was recognized as early as the late 18th century and early 19th century by the group of artist known as the “Romantics” (John Constable and William Turner are a couple of examples). Their search for authenticity placed a high value on sketching directly from nature. Most of their work was still completed in the studio mainly due to the difficulty of transporting the tools they had to work with.
Two “technology” developments and one art movement in the mid 19th century made “en plein air” painting very practical. The first tech development was that paint was no longer stored in pig’s bladder. The method of creating a tin tube of paint with a screw on cap make it possible to safely carry your paint and save what you didn’t use for another day.
The second tech development was the manufacturing of a portable easel. Along with these developments you had the Impressionist movement that stressed painting outdoors to capture the true feel of the light on the landscape.
A third tech development was absolutely critical to the Impressionist movement. This was the addition of the ferrule to the paintbrush. This is the metal on the paint brush that holds the bristles together. Up until the ferrule, the bristles were glued or tied to the end of a stick. This limited the brush shape. The ferrule allowed for the creation of flat brushes which made the Impressionist style of painting possible.
Hope this helps.
Best, Arty
Dear Arty,
What is a woodblock print and how is it different from a woodcut print?
Thanks, Jennifer
Dear Jennifer,
First, woodblock and woodcut are just different names for the same printing process. Usually if you see a print labeled as a woodblock print it is probably of East Asia origin, while a woodcut print is probably from Europe or other western country. Woodblock printing was, and is still very popular in Japan, and Ukiyo-e is the best known type of Japanese woodblock art prints. The process originated in China more than a thousand years ago. The earliest surviving examples date to before 220 AD. They can also be found of Egyptian origin dating to the 4th century.
A woodblock/woodcut print is made by carving a “relief matrix” (which means all of the ‘white’ areas are cut away with a knife or chisel) of the image you want. The block is then inked and used to stamp on cloth or paper. What you need to remember is first, the image is cut in relief; and, second, the image is going to print on the material as a mirror image, which makes it tricky to print text.
In the days before the printing press, pages for books were carved into wood blocks and used to reproduce the text. One of the advantages of this process was that once the text was carved, pages could be reproduced at any time without possible errors or changes creeping in. This was particularly important to the Chinese who have 40,000 or more characters.
Related to woodblocks was the use of round “cylinder seals” for rolling an impression onto clay tablets. This dates back to as early as 3,000 BCE and the early Mesopotamian civilization.
Today, blocks of wood are still used, but sponges, foam, and linoleum are popular materials for both hobbyist and professional artists.
Best, Arty
Dear Arty,
My friends think I’m crazy because I think some comic strips should be considered art. Am I crazy?
Thanks, Charlie
Dear Charlie,
The short answer is no. I consider comic strips to be part of the category of illustrations and there are any number of cartoonists whose work is considered art and collected as such. Besides the obvious Walt Disney works, there are cartoonist such Hal Foster, Roy Crane, (and my favorite) Alex Raymond. Do a web search on any of these to see their work.
My favorite in the way of illustrators are the French artist in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Many of them would create large advertising posters that are still collected as art. The French artist Jules Cheret opened a print shop that was a branch of the publishing firm Imprimerie Chaix. Between 1895 and 1900, they produced 236 plates to print reduced sized posters (11 ¼ by 15 ½ inches) that they sold on a subscription basis. You can find the complete works in “The Complete ‘Masters of the Poster’” edited by Stanley Appelbaum. The artists were referred to as “Les Maitres de l’Affiche” (The Masters of the Poster).
These were no ordinary artists doing commercial work. Once the monetary value to the artist was recognized, many famous artists joined in creating posters. Jules Cheret produced more of the posters than any other artist, but you’ll find artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen, Pierre Bonnard, and August Roedel.
You should also check out our own artist, Roger Shule, who creates large versions of matchbook covers from the early 20th century. Excellent work, definitely art.
Best, Arty
Dear Arty,
I recently heard two artists talking about “negative space” in painting. What exactly is that?
Thanks,
Conner
Dear Conner,
Every painting is composed of positive and negative space. We easily see the positive space—the apple in a still life painting, the person in the portrait—but the negative space in a painting is quite important.
Negative space is the area around and in between your subject matter. Picture those little glimmers of light through the leaves of a tree or the sky showing through the branches, the space between the legs of an elephant or the space inside the handle of a pitcher…these are all examples of negative space.
Never underestimate the beauty of negative space. All of those supporting shapes and colors are intriguing and important in their own right to the overall composition. Some people see the negative space immediately in a painting or drawing while others take a little longer to appreciate this significant element.
As an artist creating a composition, I frequently check my negative space, as it helps give me a basic form in which to build. It ensures me that the image I am drawing is what I am actually observing and not how I think the subject/object should look. One of my favorite artists who prevails in negative space is Tang Yau Hoong.
Knowing about negative space in art may allow you to see a piece in a whole different way. And, when painting a new piece, focus on seeing the negative space and shapes to ensure you create a positive work of art.
Signed, Arty
Ask Arty…
Dear Arty,
I know that Degas did pastel paintings of dancers and it seems that’s what he’s famous for. Did he work in other mediums and other subjects?
Thanks, Abby
Dear Abby,
Quite a bit of Edgar Degas’ work was done in oil as well as pastel. Not only did he also work in oil, but at times he combined both, oil and pastel, into a single work. One example that you might want to check out is “Women Ironing” (1884), which was part of a series of women working in laundries known as “The Laundresses”.
As far as other subjects, like most of the Impressionist he was interested in documenting daily life of ordinary people, and some not so ordinary. Check out “The Absinthe Drinker” (oil on canvas, 1876, original title was “Au Café (l’Absinthe)”.
He also did portraits of family and friends. If you would like to really study how composition can turn a family portrait into a study of family dynamics, you must study “The Bellelli Family” (oil painting on canvas ca. 18581867). This was a family portrait of Degas’s aunt (Lura), uncle (Baron Gennaro Bellellik) and their two daughters (Giulia and Giovanna). Study this closely and note the compositional structure and see if you can determine the dynamics of this family. This is the most powerful use of composition in a family portrait that I’ve seen and is worth studying.
On another note, if you’re interested in American artists that worked in pastel you should check out Mary Cassatt (1844-1926). Daughter of a wealthy Pittsburgh banker, she trained at the Pittsburgh Academy of Arts and afterwards in Paris, where – at the invitation of Degas she exhibited with the Impressionist after 1879. Sadly, she abandoned painting after being struck by blindness in 1914.
Best, Arty
Ask Arty…
Dear Arty,
I recently heard someone talking about an artist who painted stick men in his pictures but I don’t remember the name. Can you tell me who he is and what type of work he did?
Curious, Sue
Dear Sue,
You’re probably referring to Laurence Stephen Lowry who was an English artist born 11/1/1887 and died on 2/23/1976. He lived in Pendlebury, Lancaster which is the subject of many of his works. Even though he was trained as a classical painter, he received little recognition for his work. He later developed a distinctive style and depicted many of the urban and industrial landscapes in and around Pendlebury. The style is similar to the folk art produced by Anna Moses (aka Grandma Moses) and the people in his paintings resemble matchstick men. He also had the dubious reputation of being the most forged artist of the 20th century because his style was so easy to duplicate (so be careful if someone offers you an original Lowry). One additional interesting fact is that Lowry holds the record for rejecting five honors in his lifetime, including a knighthood in 1968.
Best, Arty
Ask Arty…
Dear Arty,
I recently heard this art term called “Sgraffito”. I am not sure how to say it, yet alone what it means. Can you help?
Yours truly, Sophia
Dear Sophia,
Sgraffito (pronounced “skrah-fee-toh”) in Italian means “to scratch”, is a technique either of wall decor, produced by applying layers of plaster tinted in contrasting colors to a moistened surface, or in pottery, Sgraffito is a decorating technique produced by applying to an unfired ceramic body two successive layers of contrasting slip or glaze, and then scratching off parts of the layer(s) to create contrasting images, patterns and texture and reveal the clay color underneath. Sgraffito on walls has been used in Europe since classical times, it was popularized in Italy in the 15th and 16th centuries. Sgraffito played a significant role during the years of the Renaissance in Italy, with the painting of palace facades in Rome and other cities. Recently there has been a noticeable and growing interest in this old technique. The technical procedure is relatively simple, and the methods are similar to the painting of frescoes. And, of course, new and innovative approaches are emerging. This is just one way to express…..”what is old is new”!
Best, Arty
Ask Arty…
Dear Arty,
I recently heard that the great artist Leonardo da Vinci had an eye condition. Is this true?
Best, Sylvia
Dear Sylvia,
Interesting observation. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance, and remains significant today. But his singular artistic vision may have been the result of seeing the world differently…literally. A new paper by visual neuroscientist Christopher Tyler, who has written a number of studies on optics and art, is published in JAMA Ophthalmology and argues that Da Vinci had a form of “strabismus”, a binocular vision disorder where the eyes are misaligned and don’t look toward the same place at the same time. This disorder, Tyler maintains, may have helped the artist render three-dimensional images on flat canvas with an extra level of skill.
In his study of several of da Vinci’s works including Young John the Baptist (1513-16, Louvre, Paris), he notes the gaze in the portraits and sculptures seem to be misaligned, with the left eye consistently drifting outward at around the same angle. This is what occurs in “exotropia”. The condition was assessed by fitting circles and ellipses to the pupils, irises, and eyelid apertures images identified as portraits of Leonardo da Vinci and measuring their relative positions. He goes on to conclude that “ da Vinci had intermittent exotropia (a form of strabismus) with the resulting ability to switch to monocular vision, using just one eye, which would perhaps explain his great facility for depicting the 3-dimensional solidity of faces and objects in the world and the distant depth-recession of mountainous scenes.”
Tyler points out “The condition is rather convenient for a painter, since viewing the world with one eye allows direct comparison with the flat image being drawn or painted.”
To me it is fascinating that this topic would be studied as da Vinci, in addition to being an artist, was also a scientist and an inventor. I find myself wondering if his work was due to vision issues, or artistic vision and if I will be looking at da Vinci’s work a little differently.
Signed, Arty
Ask Arty…
Dear Arty,
I am excited to be starting a new painting class. What Kind of Easel Should I Get?
Signed, Toby
Dear Toby,
Nothing beats an easel for keeping a painting in place while you’re working on it. Working vertically also means you’re working in the same plane as the painting will finally be hung, reduces the risk of spilling anything on it, or dust collecting on it. You can work sitting on a stool, or standing which allows you to step back to see how the painting is progressing.
Easels come in a variety of sizes and styles. The type of easel you get depends on the kind of painting you do the most. If you like working on large-scale canvases, then a table-top easel is unsuitable. If you enjoy standing to paint, then consider a floor-standing easel. And if you paint very vigorously, you’ll want a heavy easel for stability.
Additionally, if you paint only with watercolors, there are easels specifically designed for the medium that offers a more versatility of angles, tilting from upright to flat. Oil paintings really should be stationed more vertically so as to collect less dust. Acrylics dry quickly so collecting dust is not a problem, however, if working in Pastels, a solid sturdy easel is recommended as Pastels can produce a fair amount of dust.
Here are a few to consider:
Table-Top Easels – Great for small spaces and small-scale paintings. They can be folded up and are available in various forms with some having storage boxes.
Similarly, Sketchbox or Paintbox Easels are a variation on a table-top easel with a storage box and the lid of the box has a lip on which to stand your canvas.
Studio Easels – These are large, floor-standing easels that can accommodate big canvases. The ones with a square foot (H-frame) are more stable than the ones with three legs but don’t fold up as quickly. Studio easels can get really huge, heavy, and expensive!
French Easels – Are a three-in-one easel: a sketch box, an easel, and a canvas carrier. The sketch box holds your painting supplies, the legs and canvas-holding arm collapse to make it easy to carry and transport.
Sketching, Portable, and Display Easels – These lightweight easels are handy for taking outdoors as they fold down to a small size. Display easels are made for showing a painting and tend to be a bit flimsy for working on.
Keep in mind the price of easels vary, from inexpensive sketching and display easels going up to large-scale studio easels. If you’re only just starting out, a table-top or sketching easel should be sufficient. But if you have grand ambitions, then a floor-standing easel, though expensive, could be just the thing to inspire!
Signed, Arty