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| Polkadot Pig. 8x11" Computer Composition. © by Ruth Zachary |
Ultimately, I think my goal as an artist is to be able to combine recognizable imagery and abstraction.
After years of combining realistic images in a montage presentation, I felt my work lacked spontaneity, but I found it hard to return to present the images in any approach but realism. I have struggled a long time to be able to be able to express my art in a the way I would wish.
EPIPHANY WITH A POLKADOT PIG
In the previous Post and Abstract experiment, I had just
discovered that a cut out subject transplanted into a composition could be integrated into the character of the previous work by layering it into the background by applying
different modes.
Recently I have also been working to create more realistic work with a
bicycle theme, and had already cut out a bicycle in great detail, with a blank
background. I moved the bicycle to a new document, and adjusted the size so it
would fit into Scribble Paint 9. (Layer 1) The
realistic bicycle worked pretty well without changing the mode because
of linear qualities in the abstract background.
I liked Scribble Paint 9 as an abstract piece, but I could also
envision a pink pig, riding the bicycle, outlined in yellow, painted in the
splashy style of the abstract Apple Works paint strokes. Layering, using modes on the pig could make the pig consistent with
the rest of the composition. I created the pig twice before copying it into the
composition. Then I tried all the modes available on the pig cut out, some
of which worked and some that didn’t. I adjusted the pig to 90% opacity, so some of the
paint strokes beneath showed through, which helped a lot.
What I learned in that moment was that I
had been painting my subjects so
realistically, that the subject or the background were no longer consistent in
character. I want to maintain an image that is true to the realistic form, but not
necessarily photographically detailed, as in my Bicycle Café painting, shown in sequence on my Montage Blog. I need to paint in a manner consistent with the surrounding impressionistic
elements of the painting. It requires seeing
the whole in a different manner.
ANOTHER EPIPHANY
The act of putting a cut out object into the abstract
setting, could have ended with the same sort of inconsistency, not integrated
into the whole. But using cut out shapes with Layers in Photoshop offers infinite possibilities for integrating realistic images into an abstract composition. And what is learned can be applied to hands on painting! Or not. The choice is up to the artist.
More adjustments were required.When the pig cutout was copied into the image, I needed to
adjust the size and perspective of the happy little creature. When applying
different modes, the pink pig with yellow outlines was changed to pink and
purple with white outlines, but the new colors still worked with Scribble Paint 9. In one part of the pig’s surrounding area (a semi transparent
apricot tone) was cut out, copied back
in as a fourth layer, and flipped vertically and horizontally
so it dominated the top of the composition, with the intention of seeing if the modes helped.
The original orientation of Scribble Paint 9
(layer 1)was flipped horizontally, as was layer four. I tried different modes on the top two layers. Eventually, I deleted small areas of the top layers so the composition
retained some of the original color and character of the background retained in the normal
mode. I decided eventually
to change the mode of the bicycle, which in this variation, picked up the other
colors of the composition.
Eventually I rejected the pig composition, as too busy, which is the price of experimentation, and yet the rewards are so many, I can't complain. Finally I took another Abstract, Scribble Paint 8 and layered the bicycle into that.
Eventually I rejected the pig composition, as too busy, which is the price of experimentation, and yet the rewards are so many, I can't complain. Finally I took another Abstract, Scribble Paint 8 and layered the bicycle into that.
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| Scribble Paint 8 with Bicycle. 8x11". © Ruth Zachary |
To see the bicycle paintings and another version of this post, follow this link to
Ruth Zachary Montage. However, blogger adds a %20 to my Url, and it will not take a viewer
to the correct site. Every time I re enter the Url, it does the same thing again. I don't know why.
to the correct site. Every time I re enter the Url, it does the same thing again. I don't know why.
Writing and Images on this blog are the Copyright © of Ruth Zachary.
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