The Collage as Fine Art

Max Ernst

This image doesn't relate exactly to what we are doing in class, but I think it's a good example of the way collage can be used to create artwork. One thing Ernst does here that I find successful is divide the space into five "frames": two large rectangles that take up most of the space, two smaller ones toward the bottom, and a single circle that is placed near the top of the picture plane, but is connected to the largest rectangle by a piece of something (cardboard?) and a bow. Although the piece is mostly collage, some drawing/painting is evident. The pattern on the two large rectangles and in the circle have some volume in themselves due to the slight change in value on the diagonal strips: a one-step gradation to darker blues. Another useful thing Ernst did with the space was to overlap some of the elements, creating a pseudo-layer of space. The precision of his cutouts is nicely counterbalanced by the places where Ernst chose to draw jagged lines.

   

Georges Braque

I had to choose the two pioneers of Cubism because I felt their work a perfect example for artists who use collage elements. Unfortunately, enlarging these kills the resolution, so to the analysis. The collage elements in Braque's piece are very simple yet the contrast in value is what makes it work so well. By carefully placing three pieces of yellow-brown paper and using light variations of black to define planes and objects Braque gives the illusion of shallow depth while integrating the collaged paper into the piece as a whole.

Pablo Picasso

What can I say, this one is exquisite. The compression of objects into an ovular frame emphasizes the composition, and the use of a burnt sienna border complements it further. Picasso uses a outline to define the separation between objects where the values become similar and to make the collaged pieces seem like part of the surface. Even though the space is flattened by the line work and pattern, the overlapping and use of warm and cool shades lends to this piece's elegance.

James Rosenquist

 This is a "thumbnail collage"; I like it most for its colors. The cool green and green-blues of the grass and treetop push back in space, especially since the paper collage object is complementary to the cool light-blue sky and the grass and treetop edge. The collage object is actually a pastel hue and has a pink-to-red-to-purple value range. Its edges are smooth and soft, contrasted by the projecting spikes of the collage paper from the right and left edges of the picture plane and the negative space they create. The icicle-edged "V" mask on top of the mid ground object creates another layer of space while emphasizing it. 

Kurt Schwitters

Last but not least, is a collage piece by Kurt Schwitters, a German artist. He was very famous for his collages and "mirtzpah" (I'm not sure about the spelling). Unfortunately, Hitler had all his mirtzpahs destroyed, but the photographs of them still exist. Anyway, here we have a piece that combines newspaper clippings and pieces of objects, for example a washer. Since this piece is nonrepresentational, the angular clippings and crisp edges give the piece a sense of unity, as does the presence of text in the top, bottom, left and right areas. The use of myriad objects contributes a sense of variety.


Finally, I have included a link to an article about another artist who uses collage in some of his work; Robert Rauschenberg.
http://www.brooklynrail.org/2006/04/art/robert-rauschenberg-combines

Mark making that creates Value

Naturally, the hardest part of this assignment (thus the most time-consuming) was finding decent images from reputable sources, that wouldn't have copyright issues. It's just so hard to look for worthwhile images in the public domain, or maybe I'm supposed to spend a couple of hours sifting through Internet search results. In any case, this is why I hate these types of assignments. The posting is easy; it's the finding that causes me trouble. I just wish I could snap my fingers (or wrinkle my nose or shake my ponytail) and it's done. Alas. Well, here we go:

Georges Seurat

This is one of Seurat's sketches, probably a study for one of his paintings or pure practice, I don't know.  Here he uses hatch-like mark making to create a buildup of value, rather than his famous Pointillist color techniques. Even though this image has a largely grayscale range, I think it's successful in creating planes of value. There aren't many dark values, but there are lighter areas where he barely touched the paper, to indicate depth and separation of planes. He also conveys a deep sense of space, with more clarity towards the foreground of the picture plane. Notable, is the fact that he used a toned paper with only a dark medium, probably charcoal or conte, contributing to the grayscale contrast of the sketch.

Georges Seurat

This is an image of one of Seurat's paintings, which I 'borrowed' from IgoUgo.com. (For whatever reason, it's copyrighted.) I chose this image to give a sense of the work that Seurat is most famous for. I think that this piece is also successful in creating planes of value through mark making. Seurat uses a multiplicity of dabs of color to imply an outdoor scene. The color values in the objects contain subtleties, reflected lights upon the water's surface and direction of light source upon the tree line particularly. He has even included the reflection of the vessel in the mid ground, which acts as an area of emphasis. The painting also includes depth-of-field.

Albrecht Durer

Albrecht Durer--master sketcher, painter, and etcher. Here is an etching of the Madonna and Child, with crosshatching techniques and great attention to detail. We see Durer paying attention to the separation of planes, modeling of the forms,  and subtle gradations within the planes. His treatment of the etching forms a smooth modulation between white and ?10% grey- well, really, really dark gray, since I'm not sure about the percentage. And there are touches of black her and there. The key with this being an etching, is the proximity of the hatch marks and quantity, since you can't really achieve mark variation by cutting into a plate, i.e. thickness, weight. Also important to mention, is that Durer does not neglect the planes in the faces; only the halos behind the Madonna's and Child's heads fall flat within the broad circle with no value.

Kathy Kollwitz

Whenever I think of Katy Kollwitz, I think of The Peasant's Revolt. Unfortunately,  it doesn't have enough variation for me to use for this assignment; most of her work seems to be fairly dark. This piece, which appears to be an ink drawing was the best mark making example I could find. Although there aren't many grays, she does create distinctions among the objects within space through her mark making. The more discernible marks at toward the foreground contribute to a sense of depth within the picture plane, as the things that are farther away are less demarcated. Without drawing contours, Kollwitz gives the drawing clarity with her carefully controlled hatching and crosshatching. Where the draped forms of the bedding are concerned, she uses lines that conform to the curves of the drapery and the contours of the bedridden figure, instead of using strictly directional lines. Some use of ink wash is also visible.

I close this post with this obvious, impolite remark: There is some disturbing, disgusting shit posted online. Pardon my use of an expletive, and have a nice day.

Images of works by Francisco Goya, Albert Bierstadt, Willem Claesz, and Paul Klee

 

 

 

I got it the third time!

I wasn't entirely sure about posting these two but they are in the public domain.   Above you see a lovely drawing of the "Steps to the Castle," or something like that.  And to the right you see an architectural drawing for a cathedral in Spain.

Pompeii Fresco

Another beautiful demonstration of one-point perspective.  This image was originally from some man's villa.  It's actually a very good photographic reproduction of the actual image, which is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  The artist was not named.

Two-point: "Reconstruction of the temple of Jerusalem"

 

Artist: Maitre de l'Echevinage

This one is a photocopy of a work from the National Library of France, which is now in the public domain.  It, according to the source, comes from William of Tyre, Histoire d'Outremer.

One-point Walkway

Here is a beautiful demonstration of a one-point perspective photograph.
Subject:  Tennoji Park, Osaka Japan
Artist: Laitche