Hence, that Picasso (sp) (Boucasso: Bouton abstract) was developed from a lime slice? WOW!
Printable View
I thought I replied to this thread yesterday ... Love the abstract "Boucasso" Gary. That's something I aspire to create, and it was probably really simple for you! I could hang that on my wall ... of course, my other half wouldn't allow me to do that though.
Truth be known, guys, Pablo was a commercial artist, not abstract, not expressionist. He was a chameleon of sorts—when an art style trended, he absorbed it into his repertoire—did it better usually than an original artist—and left a 7 or 8 figure estate for his kids.
Ironically, William Shakespeare was sort of a cultural/artistic shoplifter, too, but both he asnd Picasso gave more than they appropriated IMO.
I think it was Thomas Marlow, a peer in Shakespeare's age, who wrote Two Gentlemen of Verona, although historically Shakespeare is credited.
Ironically, an original though from Billy (?) was, "The play's the thing."
Meaning? No actor, or costume, or set design can substitute for the concept, the thought behind the play. Or the artwork, or the dance, you know?
Check out Jackson Pollack, Mondrian, Kandinsky, and especially one of my faves, Joan Miro (a guy) if you want inspiration to cut your teeth on Abstract Expressionism.
And a piece of absolute joy and expressionism, Nude Descending a Staircase, controversial at the time (because the word "nude" is in the title!) by Marcel DuChampo.
Fact be known, Picasso tracked DuChamp and his work scrupulously, imitated...sigh...prevailed.
Here's a crack at Miro using a photo of myself last year:
Attachment 121975
Cheers!
Gary
Your spouse? Your top half? Your left half?
Sorry, Keith!
Start with something simple. Then mess with it as freely as your mind will allow.
Sorry for these vague instructions. There really are no instructions, but only suggestions.
Here's a small Lichtenstein.
Attachment 121976
What does it say to you?
What part of it would you embellish differently, to suit your own sensibilities?
What can you learn from it to change your sensibilities somewhat?
Just let it flow. Don't work to hard at it. Let it be an introspective journey of sorts.
Offer void where prohibited. Some fading may occur. Tumble dry only. May contain allergens. I've never seen a happy vegan.
These are just my own inner voices.
Aren't you glad you don't live within 100 miles of me?
Attachment 121977
At a quick glance it says "Jack of Diamonds"
It's possible that I actually do ... lets have a quick look at google maps ... According to Google Maps it's 201 km (125 miles) ... Phew, Safe ... Just check - 106 miles as the crow flies. Still safe.
Hmmmm. Okay. Go with it.
1.) What appeals to you about it, if anything?
2.) How about the colour palette? To me, that's where I'd get the playing card inspiration.
I could put more questions to you here, but it wouldn't be the point.
It's all about a process, Keith, if that makes any sense, or resounds at all.
When input (for lack of a better term, offhand) makes me stop for a moment or two, I tend to ask myself why.
And often the answer lies in Art. A design unrevealed, a possibility stacked up out of a fragment here and there that please my eye.
But for me, the process isn't done, then.
You might not know it, but I'm a playful guy. </under-exaggeration>
I'll take a bitmap copy of my unfinished idea and filter it in Photoshop. Or extrude it in a modeling program, or perform other path operations in 3D, such as "lofting", or spinning the path around an axis to create a 3rd dimension. Or smearing it a little in a way that cannot be done easily in Xara. Here's a graphical thought process; begin with a primitive...oh, a triangle's good.
Then mess with the triangle; lop part of it's top off so it's not equilateral. Hint: Asymmetrical is usually better than symmetrical in a design. Stuff can be balanced without being symmetrical.
Attachment 121979
Add a rectangle almost bisecting it laterally, and oops; well there, it sort of is beginning to look like the first letter of the last name of a dud who is afraid he lives to close to moi :)
Attachment 121978
Mooshing-around time, because why not?
Attachment 121980
Attached is the original XAR file with which to play/experiment.
You have XGD version 18 installed, right?
Attachment 121982
it's funny, as an artist that may be how your brain functions. However, I'm a Architectural Designer, and I seem to want everything to be technically accurate (even to the stage where sometimes I'll work in the cad for a base, and import a PDF into Xara), rather than artistic. When I play with Xara, I get frustrated that I can't snap lines to exact locations especially when trying to do multiple offsets of angled lines and ensure that they are all spaced exactly alike. I end up just randomly intersecting shapes (normally regular shapes especially circles) and then decide that it all looks rubbish and throw it away. My second downfall is that my typical use of Xara is more for producing posters, or invitations or place cards etc, rather than pieces of artwork, and my skill with Xara is lacking when trying to reproduce items. I've just started drawing my wristwatch, and to be honest I have no idea how I'm going to duplicate some of the items I see (chrome) - trying not to use plug-ins as although I don't consider them cheating, I'd rather learn to do it without them if possible. Not only that I'm now second guessing whether shapes should be layered over each other to just cover things or should be actually cut round each other, so that they fit together.
More than anything else, the colour palette
Exactly. that is what reminded me of a playing card ...
Absolutely not actually ... If I was closer I would be honoured to visit ... assuming I was welcome!
... not sure where you got your version 18, mine says 15.1