Author Topic: Art contest (Read 2843 times)

Memento · « **on:** April 02, 2013, 07:02:35 AM »

Attention all artists and all art lovers!

I have been informed recently of a wonderful contest...http://www.apocalypseprize.com/. The website is beautiful and informative even if one does not want to participate.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2014, 09:53:55 AM »

Thanks be to God.

I just received word that my oil paintings made it in the top 5 Finalists (#3)!!!

This project was similar to what I imagine post-graduate thesis to be in its complexity. In order to understand the assignment, it was necessary to study the Apocalypse over and over and become absolutely immersed in it. This offered all of us the special indulgences for reading this book.

Then we had to learn the poetic language of Medieval imagery, and apply it to our own work. We had to choose three subjects from the Saint John's Apocalypse out of a large choice of subjects and make three paintings.

(Choosing almost did me in; it's how I almost quit at one point.)

Even though the creators of this holy project sent us beautiful little manuals, I had to study for hundreds of hours. This study and work honestly changed my life, and I am certain it did so to every contestant. Constant prayer was inevitable; that's what this type of work is about if one dares to try to illustrate the sacred mysteries.

The good souls who organised this effort understand the purpose of Art in a manner almost never seen in modern society. May God bless them! The contest was a huge teaching opportunity, given freely by generous souls for anyone who wished to put forth a little effort. Even kids were invited to learn and take part.

Graham · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2014, 10:15:09 AM »

Very interesting. Elizabeth, could you show us your work? And, if you know, how could we view the work of the other finalists?

Elizabeth · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2014, 10:50:40 AM »

Quote from: Graham

Very interesting. Elizabeth, could you show us your work? And, if you know, how could we view the work of the other finalists?

I can't wait to see the works of all who submitted stuff!! I figured a lot of people must have quit because it was sort of overwhelming OR there would be a ton of people who quietly make lambskin parchments, grind their own pigments, and create awesome Medieval Illuminated manuscripts in their studios...

I would be delighted to show my work, except I am so lame at tech it is my un-doing. I could barely submit my paintings at the last minute of the deadline, and only with help from family members. I THINK if I get a cable for my camera I can get it online somehow...but I can't even figure out how to use the camera properly.

They are going to display submissions and are making a video of our work on their website. I can't remember the exact date.

Did you get a chance to view their site? The teaching videos are really good.

Graham · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2014, 01:26:36 PM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

Quote from: Graham
Very interesting. Elizabeth, could you show us your work? And, if you know, how could we view the work of the other finalists?

I can't wait to see the works of all who submitted stuff!! I figured a lot of people must have quit because it was sort of overwhelming OR there would be a ton of people who quietly make lambskin parchments, grind their own pigments, and create awesome Medieval Illuminated manuscripts in their studios...

In December (I think it was) I met a French painter who makes icons in egg tempera. She claimed to use entirely traditional techniques, and showed me where she had employed gold foil and powdered lapis lazuli. These people are around.

Hang on, I have her card somewhere... Found it: Anais Pitalier Jason, www.artnais.com

Quote

I would be delighted to show my work, except I am so lame at tech it is my un-doing. I could barely submit my paintings at the last minute of the deadline, and only with help from family members. I THINK if I get a cable for my camera I can get it online somehow...but I can't even figure out how to use the camera properly.

They are going to display submissions and are making a video of our work on their website. I can't remember the exact date.

OK, we'll have to wait for them to do it then. Could you update this thread with a link when the video is available?

Quote

Did you get a chance to view their site? The teaching videos are really good.

I haven't had time to watch the videos yet. I'll return to them in the next week or two. In passing, do they include any discussion of mathematical proportions?

Elizabeth · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2014, 02:32:52 PM »

About the math proportions, Medieval work uses size to demonstrate the relative importance in God's hierarchy. Nothing at all like the Renaissance in which mathematical perspective to show depth was used. (vanishing line, etc.) Because time and space is completely different in Heaven, more like all at once. This type of work would differ hugely from the mathematical proportions of ancient Greek architecture, for example.

I can only dream of using powdered lapis as a pigment!! Broke as I am, it killed to use up a whole tube of Cobalt Blue for just one panel of the triptych. I think Winsor Newton used to include genuine lapis in their fine blues. The environmental laws forced a lot of changes in oil pigments. All of the really good colors cost an arm and a leg.

Your friend's paintings are really pretty. :cheers:

Graham · « **Reply #6 on:** March 04, 2014, 12:32:32 AM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

About the math proportions, Medieval work uses size to demonstrate the relative importance in God's hierarchy. Nothing at all like the Renaissance in which mathematical perspective to show depth was used. (vanishing line, etc.) Because time and space is completely different in Heaven, more like all at once. This type of work would differ hugely from the mathematical proportions of ancient Greek architecture, for example.

I should have said geometrical, rather than mathematical proportions. There's no essential difference, of course, but perhaps the idea of geometry gets my question across better.

I would have a hard time swallowing that simple proportions cannot be found in abundance in Medieval painting, not only because they formed a key part of the other arts and of liberal education of the time, but also because Medieval art is typically beautiful and I have it in my head that beautiful work always makes use of simple proportions.

The videos don't delve into anything of this kind?

Elizabeth · « **Reply #7 on:** March 04, 2014, 08:35:10 AM »

Quote from: Graham

The videos don't delve into anything of this kind?

Hey Graham,

I'm sorry, I can't quite understand what you are considering. I am not sure whether the anonymous religious who made illuminated Medieval manuscripts were thinking in terms of geometry. My guess is that they would possess a God given understanding of symmetry.

I don't mind watching the videos again to check it out, though.

Graham · « **Reply #8 on:** March 04, 2014, 09:28:33 AM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

Quote from: Graham

The videos don't delve into anything of this kind?

Hey Graham,

I'm sorry, I can't quite understand what you are considering. I am not sure whether the anonymous religious who made illuminated Medieval manuscripts were thinking in terms of geometry. My guess is that they would possess a God given understanding of symmetry.

I don't mind watching the videos again to check it out, though.

Well, take the most obvious, the golden ratio. We know how frequently it turns up in ancient arts. Does it do likewise, to your knowledge, in the composition of medieval paintings?

A bit of Internet research shows me that the 3:2 rectangle can be found in many of these works. Holding sharp dividers up to a computer screen isn't the most convenient or precise way to analyze these things however.

I hope I'm getting a little bit clearer for you. I'll try to post a couple examples tonight. Any thoughts you have in the meantime are welcome. How do you typically determine the composition of your paintings?

Elizabeth · « **Reply #9 on:** March 04, 2014, 12:08:23 PM »

I typically work rather intuitively, asking my Guardian Angel please help, to determine the composition of my paintings.

In the case of my Apocalypse Triptych there were several problems from the outset, mainly sizes and the deadline. And choosing which subject I could reasonably approach in the time frame. This meant trying to understand, or surrender to the mysteries of the Apocalypse as they relate to the Medieval poetic vocabulary.

Gloria Thomas detailed the elements required for this work:

Balance
Proportion
Brevity
Clarity
Simplicity
Fidelity
Beauty

I could not afford to buy any new canvas or stretchers, but I had 3 old paintings 36"X36" and two 36"X18". I needed to paint these over and for them to be dry enough to work over top of. These fortunately fit the size limit, which was 36" on any side.

I had to decide how to incorporate linguistic metaphors, combined with analogy, to create 3 separate subjects from the Apocalypse. The intense problem for me was translating the Medieval devices into a "theater"-like setting on the vertical planes, especially of the 18"X36". For the three paintings to work as a triptych, the 36" sides would need to match--as opposed to going lengthwise out from either side of the middle square panel.

For whatever reason, my poor brain had a terrible time with wanting to go sideways ^
^
<<< ^>>>
out instead of up-and-down, which seemed to destroy the symmetry of the triptych, but would have felt easier to tell the story. Three equal 36" squares would have been a lot easier for my mind to grasp in the time I had to complete the deadline. For instance, the late Medieval Angers Tapestry goes in reading sequence in my mind.

I am not even certain if ALL Medieval manuscript artists even knew how to read but I am 100% certain their minds were in the realm of Heaven. Thus, being able to communicate the lessons of the Holy Gospel to others who could not read letters, illustrating three levels of analogy at the same time, as a sort of play.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2014, 09:49:22 AM »

Quote from: Graham

I would have a hard time swallowing that simple proportions cannot be found in abundance in Medieval painting, not only because they formed a key part of the other arts and of liberal education of the time, but also because Medieval art is typically beautiful and I have it in my head that beautiful work always makes use of simple proportions.

The videos don't delve into anything of this kind?

You will really enjoy the section entitled Originality in the Medieval Style on the website, which elegantly explains what I think you are getting at: how is beauty in Medieval Art measured?