Many photographers look to the works of other artists for inspiration. These other artists are not always other photographers, but instead are sculptors, painters, fashion designers, and even architects. Often times a masterful painting or drawing can inspire a photographic idea.
For this class assignment, you will create two photographic works that are inspired by the formal and conceptual qualities found in the work of a master artist. Through the process of getting to know this artist's personal history and formally analyzing his/her work, you too will begin to formulate how to create your own art-from-art inspired Photographs.
For this class assignment, you will create two photographic works that are inspired by the formal and conceptual qualities found in the work of a master artist. Through the process of getting to know this artist's personal history and formally analyzing his/her work, you too will begin to formulate how to create your own art-from-art inspired Photographs.
Step One: Research PT 1
Peruse through this list of master artists below, and select three artists who you are most intrigued or excited by. Submit your list of three to me for a final decision. Be ready to give a reason why you chose your artists. Note: You may propose an artist whom you feel is masterful who is not on this list, but I must approve him/her before you proceed.
Jean Arp
Francis Bacon John Baldessari Balthus Jean-Michel Basquiat Peter Blake Umberto Boccioni Christian Boltanski sophie Calle Marc Chagall Chriso and Jeanne-Claude Jimmie Durham Eric Fischl Robert Gober Andy Goldsworthy Felix Gonzalez-Torres David Hammons Eva Hesse David Hockney |
Jenny Holzer
Frida Kahlo Gustav Klimt Kathe Kollwitz Barara Kruger Richard Long Rene Magritte Man Ray Jospeh Cornell Claude Monet Yasumasa Morimura Edvard Munch Louise Nevelson Yoko Ono Gabriel Orozco Pablo Picasso Sigmar Polke Robert Rauschenberg Pierre Auguste Renoir |
James Rosenquist
Kurt Schwitters Cindy Sherman Andy Warhol Gillian Wearing Krysztof Wodiczko Andrew Wyeth Michelangelo Piet Mondrian Boyd Webb Edgar Degas Maxfield Parish Hokusai Kara Walker |
Step Two: Research PT 2
After Selecting a master artist, find/print at least 5 high quality examples of his/her artwork and integrate each into your "homage to a master artist" in two pages of your sketchbook. Include title and date for each work and write them beneath the image.
Briefly research for biographical and contextual information on your master artist by using the internet, books, art magazines or other sources. Create a two-page homage to your master artist combining both 5 examples you've found as well as writing that clearly responds to the following questions.
Biographical Information:
-When and where was this artist born?
-What was going on in their home town/country as this artist grew up?
-What was inspirational or had an effect on his/her life as he/she grew up?
Contextual Information:
-What subject matter is this artist most interested in showing in his/her work? Why?
-How did the environment this artist lived in effect his/her work?
-What art movement or period in art history was this artist associated with? (i.e. Surrealism, Pop-Art, Dadaism, Realism, etc.) How did this movement effect this person's ideas or approach to making art?
-What media (paint, wood, plaster, etc.) does this artist typically work with?
-What influenced or inspired this artist's work as he/she made it? (Consider surrounding environment, other artists, etc.)
Briefly research for biographical and contextual information on your master artist by using the internet, books, art magazines or other sources. Create a two-page homage to your master artist combining both 5 examples you've found as well as writing that clearly responds to the following questions.
Biographical Information:
-When and where was this artist born?
-What was going on in their home town/country as this artist grew up?
-What was inspirational or had an effect on his/her life as he/she grew up?
Contextual Information:
-What subject matter is this artist most interested in showing in his/her work? Why?
-How did the environment this artist lived in effect his/her work?
-What art movement or period in art history was this artist associated with? (i.e. Surrealism, Pop-Art, Dadaism, Realism, etc.) How did this movement effect this person's ideas or approach to making art?
-What media (paint, wood, plaster, etc.) does this artist typically work with?
-What influenced or inspired this artist's work as he/she made it? (Consider surrounding environment, other artists, etc.)
Step Three: Analyze/Plan
After researching your artist, you must create a proposal for how you would like to borrow or appropriate ideas, methods, or formal qualities from your master artist to create your own photographic works. Your proposal should include 3-4 thumbnail sketches and a written response to the following.
1) First, select one work of art that your artist has made and complete a formal analysis of it using the Feldman's Method. The Feldman's Method includes the following steps:
-Describe: Describe the work of art in the most objective way possible (no interpretations or judgements!) Identify the most important elements of art this artist uses in his/her work (i.e. line, shape, pattern, form, value, color, etc.)
-Analyze: Identify how this artist composes this work by using a principle of composition/design (Principles of design are: Repetition, balance, movement, unity, contrast, and emphasis). Identify at least two major principles of composition with specific examples.
-Interpret: What meaning or idea is this artist interested in expressing through this work? What evidence can you find in the work to defend your interpretation? (Support this statement with info from your description and analysis)
2)Then create a proposal for creating two photographic works that are inspired by your master artist. Your proposal should use a combination of thumbnail sketches, as well as descriptions of the following in order to explain your plan for creating your work.
-What ideas does your artist use in his/her work that you are most interested in borrowing? How will you represent these ideas in your own works?
-What compositional strategies does your artist often use in his/her work? How can you incorporate these strategies in your own work?
-What will the theme or subject matter of your first roll of film need to be in order for you to have the necessary imagery to use?
Consider matching Row 1 and 2
1) First, select one work of art that your artist has made and complete a formal analysis of it using the Feldman's Method. The Feldman's Method includes the following steps:
-Describe: Describe the work of art in the most objective way possible (no interpretations or judgements!) Identify the most important elements of art this artist uses in his/her work (i.e. line, shape, pattern, form, value, color, etc.)
-Analyze: Identify how this artist composes this work by using a principle of composition/design (Principles of design are: Repetition, balance, movement, unity, contrast, and emphasis). Identify at least two major principles of composition with specific examples.
-Interpret: What meaning or idea is this artist interested in expressing through this work? What evidence can you find in the work to defend your interpretation? (Support this statement with info from your description and analysis)
2)Then create a proposal for creating two photographic works that are inspired by your master artist. Your proposal should use a combination of thumbnail sketches, as well as descriptions of the following in order to explain your plan for creating your work.
-What ideas does your artist use in his/her work that you are most interested in borrowing? How will you represent these ideas in your own works?
-What compositional strategies does your artist often use in his/her work? How can you incorporate these strategies in your own work?
-What will the theme or subject matter of your first roll of film need to be in order for you to have the necessary imagery to use?
Consider matching Row 1 and 2
Substitute
Recreate Imitate Borrow Change |
Theme
Subjects, Forms, Shapes Mood Composition Meaning, Message |
Step Four: The Roll & Presention
Take a roll of images (24 exposures, digital or film). If you used film, please scan in your final works and make sure to clean them up, getting rid of any dust or marks using the close stamp tool. You will create a portoflio page showcasing your two final images next to the original. Include the artist information as well as an explanation of how you were inspired.