In my last post I shared Auerbach’s study of ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’. This is another post about artists studying other artists. Did you know that Picasso did a series of studies in Velasquez’s Las Meninas?
When we did modern studies of masterwork compositions in class, many students did one little study of a painting and figured they were about done, but they were only getting started. These creative iterations grow with time, and multiple of opportunities. Even if you don’t have any amazing ideas, think of each replication as a DNA copy. Eventually you’re going to get a variant by accident, and that could lead to an evolution.
Picasso, for example, made a series of 45 interpretations of Velasquez’s painting. You can watch as his first sketch is a stylized copy, then his ideas emerge, turning and shifting with each iteration.
It’s a common misconception that an artist needs lots of ideas. Really, I think we just need one or two per season, per year, or per even lifetime that we can work and rework into layers of discovery.
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” load_in_animation=”none[image_with_animation image_url=”14957″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] So – what’s a work of art you’d like to play with?
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I thought I’d collect some turkeys for you. Most, at the moment of rendering, are inedible, but likely so is yours at this point. Be thankful you do not have to pluck, and enjoy the day. From https://www.artic.edu/artworks/21727/thanksgiving : “Doris Lee’s bustling scene of women preparing a Thanksgiving feast became the object …
Raphael Soyer (December 25, 1899 – November 4, 1987) was a Russian-born American painter, draftsman, and printmaker. He is identified as a Social Realist because of his interest in men and women viewed in contemporary settings which included the streets, subways, salons and artists’ studios of New York City. He also wrote several books on his life and art. He was adamant in his …
I’ll be sharing my drawings on Facebook. I’d love for you to share yours too. Maybe we’ll get some people jumping in to join us. Post your pics on the Seattle Artist League‘s Facebook, or Instagram at SeattleArtLeague. #drawingaday #seattleartleague
Dawn is here, and I count 135 artwork submissions for our 3rd Annual Big League Art Show! Paintings, mixed media, collage, photography, vitreography, monotypes, woodblocks, drawings, and more. We’re a diverse group! Join us for the Big League show reception May 4, 12:00-6:00 – with Inscape’s Open House Artwork on display May & June Leaguers …
Picasso’s studies of Las Meninas
In my last post I shared Auerbach’s study of ‘Bacchus and Ariadne’. This is another post about artists studying other artists. Did you know that Picasso did a series of studies in Velasquez’s Las Meninas?
When we did modern studies of masterwork compositions in class, many students did one little study of a painting and figured they were about done, but they were only getting started. These creative iterations grow with time, and multiple of opportunities. Even if you don’t have any amazing ideas, think of each replication as a DNA copy. Eventually you’re going to get a variant by accident, and that could lead to an evolution.
Picasso, for example, made a series of 45 interpretations of Velasquez’s painting. You can watch as his first sketch is a stylized copy, then his ideas emerge, turning and shifting with each iteration.
It’s a common misconception that an artist needs lots of ideas. Really, I think we just need one or two per season, per year, or per even lifetime that we can work and rework into layers of discovery.
Related Posts
12 Turkey Pics
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I thought I’d collect some turkeys for you. Most, at the moment of rendering, are inedible, but likely so is yours at this point. Be thankful you do not have to pluck, and enjoy the day. From https://www.artic.edu/artworks/21727/thanksgiving : “Doris Lee’s bustling scene of women preparing a Thanksgiving feast became the object …
Raphael Soyer
Raphael Soyer (December 25, 1899 – November 4, 1987) was a Russian-born American painter, draftsman, and printmaker. He is identified as a Social Realist because of his interest in men and women viewed in contemporary settings which included the streets, subways, salons and artists’ studios of New York City. He also wrote several books on his life and art. He was adamant in his …
Drawing A Day, Day 6
I’ll be sharing my drawings on Facebook. I’d love for you to share yours too. Maybe we’ll get some people jumping in to join us. Post your pics on the Seattle Artist League‘s Facebook, or Instagram at SeattleArtLeague. #drawingaday #seattleartleague
135 Artwork Submissions!
Dawn is here, and I count 135 artwork submissions for our 3rd Annual Big League Art Show! Paintings, mixed media, collage, photography, vitreography, monotypes, woodblocks, drawings, and more. We’re a diverse group! Join us for the Big League show reception May 4, 12:00-6:00 – with Inscape’s Open House Artwork on display May & June Leaguers …