Monday, May 24, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Artistic Talent � The Saga of Observation, Creativity, Originality, Expression, and Finesse - by Annette Labedzki
Artistic Talent – The Saga of Observation, Creativity, Originality, Expression, and Finesse
Whether artistic talent is inherent or acquired, has always been a subject of debate, with both the schools of thought supporting their side of story. Indeed, being ‘gifted’ artistically is an asset, only with the clause of an initial advantage however. The attributes that set an artist apart from the rest are mostly acquired or developed ones. The expression of art does not limit itself to the reproduction of the standard techniques of artistry; rather all forms of artistic mastery thrive on a well-developed faculty of imagination. For instance, a masterpiece painted work is nothing but the fructification of an artist’s vision of the interplay of colors, the harmony of hues, and a sync of brushstrokes. World-renowned artist Adolphe William Bouguereau earned distinction among the classics for his finesse of delineating the human anatomy on the canvas. On the contrary, De Heems, the Dutch family of painters, could not leave their mark on the contemporary art scene despite their perfect techniques for the sheer lack of original thoughts. Jan Davidszoon de Heem was the most distinguished name of the De Heem family, who owed his success to his inimitable style and the originality in his executions.
Similar is the case with sculpting, the artists’ triumph is defined in the terms of their ability to carve out a niche for themselves. Sculpting begins with the understanding of multidimensional forms and their spatial presence. Whether the choice of material is metal, clay, or plaster, sculptures are still objects often set in monotones, which makes the choice of subject, the keenness of observation, and creative imagery all the more important. If we try to describe the magic of Picasso’s art in one word, it would be – ‘unique.’ His art passed through various phases and had the influence of various genres, yet he created many works, which beautifully blended the elements of his boundless enthusiasm and artistic insights. His monumental steel sculpture, Chicago Picasso remains a wonder creation for its ambiguity and the mystic aura that surrounds it.
Therefore, the aptitude for art is more significant than the technicalities and supposed natural talent. Art is a passion and an inclination for fine arts is in itself an indication of talent - fully blossomed or at least the seeds of it. The pursuit of arts is a serious business that requires persistence, but not with economic goals in view. No artist, with half-baked efforts, has ever achieved greatness. Their tenacity even in adversities kept them going. Artistry is a lively expression of interwoven thoughts, a definitive quality with indefinite goals. The ultimate goal is not perfection – the goal is itself subjective. To describe the essence of art – its never perfect!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
What is Art - Its Ingredients and Elements - by Annette Labedzki
What is Art - Its Ingredients and Elements
Art is a subject of varied views & considerations, and defining art may itself challenge you to the threshold of creativity. Broadly, time and other environmental circumstances weave the difference, evolution, and the specificity of artistry. In effect, every new age takes a new plunge of creativity, originality, and technique. Art definitely is a subjective platform and its connotations may vary with individual. For instance, my artistry may be the way I mark my signatures, while for you, art could be the design on your coffee cup or of your furniture.
Altogether, art covers an intangible mix of human thoughts, actions, creations, and expressions, all culminating to the ultimate, human emotions. With a wide, in fact, nearly an immeasurable span of forms, the main genres of art are music, dance, painting, sculpture, and literature. Better understood as the application of skills and imagination, art includes the creation of aesthetic objects, environment, and experiences for personal or public display.
Art is pillared on two fundamentals, form and content. ‘Form’ is classified as:
Elements of Art
Principles of design
Physical materials
To understand this, lets take the example of the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci’s work ‘Monalisa.’ In this work, color, lines, space, and values are the elements of his artwork. Balance, contrast, emphasis, and proportion constitute the principles of design, while materials happen to be brushes and oil paints.
Artistic content is a slightly tricky subject matter. Creative content is an idea-based concept, i.e.:
- The theme the artist intends to portray
- The theme of the actual portrayal
- Audience’s response to the piece of work
- Miscellaneous influencers, such as religion, politics, society, culture, or your own imagination, add meaning to the content of any artwork.
We talked of creativity, originality, skills, and the technicalities of art. The root of all this consolidates in observation. For uniqueness, closely look at things. Right from people, to their emotions, to environment or life around them, scan them all. In effect, you see things that existed, but were not perceived. Therefore, you get to innovate, develop, or modify the existing. Through the years, several art movements took art to new highs. ‘Medieval Art,’ ‘Renaissance,’ ‘Mannerism,’ ‘Baroque,’ ‘Neoclassicism,’ ‘Romanticism,’ ‘Realism,’ ‘Modern Art,’ ‘Contemporary Art,’ are some of the key art philosophies, constantly rejuvenating art through the creative thick and thins.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Defining Skills for an Artist - Creativity and Originality - by Annette Labedzki
The Defining Skills for an Artist - Creativity and Originality
Creativity is the truest essence of artistry. Being creative is the ability to produce something new by applying imaginative skills and original thinking. In effect, creativity breeds originality. Therefore, a work of art depicting a fresh line of imagination (original) in an extraordinary manner can be termed as creative.
Of course, when we are talking of new lease of thoughts & ideas, they tend more to be abstract, seamless, and independent. However, creativity and originality need not necessarily mean something extreme, innovated, and novel. The existing elements can also be added a new edge by being creative and original. This implies that artists can always expand on an idea, which has been used before by adding his own vision to it, thereby creating his own original style. Pablo Picasso clearly drew inspiration from Spanish, Greek, and Roman Art, while Paul Gauguin did so from African Art. Their works can never be confused with their models, as they were unique because of their personal styles.
Tips for Creativity and Originality
A few pointers for having the creative juices flowing include:
· Open Minded - Creative people are generally less conventional and open to new experiences and ideas. Set yourself free. You should not let rules bind your thinking and hinder your imagination. To get creative, it is important that you free your mind from any set norms. Ongoing exploration and experimentation should be the system. Stained glass and manuscript illuminations have always found favor with Paul Gauguin.
· Think Out of the Box - Think unique. Brainstorm; push your imagination to discover new things. Keep yourself triggered to think with even the routine things around. Henri Laurens, who learned ‘Cubism’ from Pablo Picasso, applied its concepts to sculpting and went on to create some amazing masterpieces
· Take Risk –Take chances. The evolution of art over the years vouches of great creative risks taken blended with uniqueness and non-traditional essence. The highly controversial ‘Fauvist’ movement of 1905, though short lived, changed the conventional way the artists used colors in painting.
· Knowledge - Artists need to keep learning and increasing their knowledge, in order to widen their horizons and discover new expressive platforms. Painters, like Gustave Moreau and Van Gogh, drew inspiration from Byzantine enamels and early mosaics. They even studied Persian, Indian, and Japanese prints.
Conscious or unconscious insight, tangible or intangible, practically anything can act as stimulus for an artist. Stay intrigued, curious, flexible, and a risk taker. Mix & portray your own blends and enjoy art!
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