Choice Piece
Exhibition Text
Title: Crossed Fingers
Medium: Watercolor Size: Date: 6 March 2017 Gabrielle Matiszik created a realistic watercolor portrait that focuses on the idea of betrayal and lies. It is a piece that symbolizes how people feel no remorse in the lies that they tell to those close to them, or the ramifications that their actions have. Crossed Fingers is a piece based off the style of Alex X. Zhang's watercolor works. |
Planning
Inspiration
Alex X. Zhang was born on November 8, 1988. She was enrolled in various painting classes by her parents around the age of six, but showed no interest in pursuing art. She grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and has spent a great deal of time traveling; specifically, in New York City and Hong Kong. She attended and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design where she earned a BFA in graphic design. Currently, Zhang is a freelance painter, illustrator, and designer full-time.
Zhang’s central focus is realistic portraits in multiple mediums including: watercolor, graphite, charcoal, and digital drawing. Her pieces often revolve around the importance of color and mood. Always and Invariably Lovely is one of Zhang’s realistic watercolor portraits. This piece is a clash of sorts between warm and cool colors on opposite sides of the face. This is a representation of a form of inner conflict within oneself. At the center of the drawing, the major pink “crack” in the face of the subject is symbolism for time. The idea is breaking from eternal struggles due to contradicting beliefs. |
Planning Sketches
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Process
**click on the pictures for descriptions**
Experimentation
My largest area of experimentation was with the brushes that I used. I switched often between using flat and pointed brushes to view the different techniques that each brush allowed. Another area of experimentation was the color scheme. Since all the colors that I used were handmade, it was at times difficult to find, or make the color that I was looking to use. This process was simple enough; experimenting with color choices and various amounts of paint, just time consuming.
Critique
Overall, I am very pleased with the results of my piece. I felt that the proportions were correct and I really enjoyed the shading that I was able to develop specifically on the right side of the face and underneath the eyes. Blending is an area that I have been continuously working on through my paintings and hope to keep developing this technique until I can approach photo-realism in my own pieces. I also feel that the tone of this piece works very well with my theme of being disconnected and false with words. This can be expressed through my color choices as well as the look of the subject in my painting. I am also happy with the final colors that I used specifically for the skin tone and blood. Often I think that the blood in paintings looks too red and does not have strong enough brown undertones. I felt that the bloody nose fit my desired symbolism of false thoughts and words, being that bloody noses are often taboo for said lies.
One area that I would like to fix is the three dimensional aspect of the piece. I believe that the piece looks realistic, but it could not be mistaken for a photograph, and has obvious characteristics of a painting. I would also go back and pay more attention to smaller details such as clothing creases and the levels of shadowing on the shirt.
One area that I would like to fix is the three dimensional aspect of the piece. I believe that the piece looks realistic, but it could not be mistaken for a photograph, and has obvious characteristics of a painting. I would also go back and pay more attention to smaller details such as clothing creases and the levels of shadowing on the shirt.
Connecting to the ACT
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause-effect relationships between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork.
- I was able to create a piece that emulated the style of Zhang through semi-realism and a consistent as well as prominent color scheme of cool and neutral colors.
- Zhang believes in the freedom to express one's emotions.
- Ignorance is bliss, especially when it deals with people that someone loves.
- I wanted to create a piece of broken ideals in today's society in terms of relationships both platonic and romantic. The piece is supposed to emulate the lies that are exchanged on a daily basis between two people, and how the truth is quite often silenced.
- Lies are often excepted for the truth, not necessarily because that is what is believed to be true, rather it is better to overlook issues rather than confronting conflict.
Biography
“The Art of Alex X. Zhang.” Jason Zapata. N.P., n.d Web. 01 Mar. 2017.