Chapter 10 & 11

WOODCUT

Sleeping Woman with Child

Kathe Kollwitz

This print is an example of woodcut. The artist draws a design on a piece of wood and carves out the white shaded areas with a knife or chisel leaving the remaining untouched surface to be covered with paint. The process is unique due to it shows the contrast between light and dark for a dramatic effect.Kathe was a believer in socialism and this print represents a women stricken from poverty barely able to care for herself let alone the proper nourishment for her child.This child could be interpreted as being deceased.

 ETCHING

Entombment; State I

Rembrandt van Rijn

This work is an example of etching which is created by applying pressure using a burin across a metal plate.  This process is unique due to creating an etch is a multiple process including drawing, etching, and an ability to maneuver chemicals for effect at risk of ruining the artwork.

The artist was inspired by the life of Christ and made a series of etchings. Rembrandt was inspired by historical and biblical scenes and later in life received a high commission for his religious works.

 WATERCOLOR

Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night

Charles Burchfield

This is an example of watercolor painting. The medium is applying pigments in a solution of water and gum arabic to moisten paper. This process is unique due to the artist may use different techniques to accomplish their vision either by working quickly or by carefully controlled lines. Charles was a pantheist and considered religion an enemy of nature. In 1914 he wrote:

''To go forth into life free of superstition, faith, Christian dogma - to look at nature with an innocent mind - how else can one see its beauty,''

GOUACHE

General Toussaint L'Ouverture

Jacob Lawrence

This painting is an example of gouache. The medium of the painting is watercolor combined with Chinese white chalk. This process is unique due to the colors are light reflecting caused by the opaque making it difficult to blend colors together. Jacob's motivation of this work was "Having no Negro history makes the Negro people feel inferior to the rest of the world," explained the artist in 1940. "I don't see how a history of the United States can be written honestly without including the Negro" He wanted to shed light that there were exceptional black leaders that are not recognized.  

ENCAUSTIC

Gray Numbers

Jasper Johns

This work is an example of encaustic. Encaustic is joining pigment with a binder of hot wax. This technique is extremely challenging requiring the artist to work quickly before the wax dries which makes it unique. Jasper prefers to work with “the mind already knows,” “things that were seen and not looked at, not examined”. Using the absense of color was the attempt to be unique in his work, not to be apart of any tradition. His childhood was filled with constant moving and wanted to do the only logical thing in his mind, to concentrate on art and to be somewhere else.

OIL PAINT

Adeline Ravoux

Vincent van Gogh

This painting is an example of oil paint. This particular form of painting versatile because it can be blended to create multiple hues and tones. Oil paint is unique because the artist can create subtle changes in light to accomplish a three dimensional effect. The painting of is a portrait of the daughter of Arthur-Gustave Ravoux. van Gogh lodged at his inn Auvers-sur-Oise. He believed that painting portraits was a method of introspection, a money maker and a way to fine tune skills. Most of his portraits were self due to the lack of money to commission models.