contentsgradshowcase.academyart.edu/content/dam/grad showcase/schools/f… · overall the paintings...

Autobiography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Class & Personal Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Chiaroscuro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Color Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Still Life Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Head Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Landscape Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Cityscape Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Portrait Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Abstract Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 20

Midpoint Thesis Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Midpoint Thesis Project Proposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Thumbnails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Influences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Statement of Professional Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

CONTENTS

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Tea Time, Still Life charcoal on paperSpring 2011ChiaroscuroBrandon Christensen: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Old School Tools, Still Life charcoal and white chalk on gray paperSpring 2011 ChiaroscuroBrandon Christensen: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Grand Canyon Landscape, Gouache on paper, 5.5 x 9.5 inchesSpring 2011 Color TheoryJennifer Almodova: InstructorSplit Complementary in warm and cool color scheme.

PORTFOLIO

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Snowflake Fractal Mandala, Gouache on paper.Spring 2011 Color TheoryJennifer Almodova: InstructorSplit Complementary ColorsThousands of tiny equilateral triangles utilizing tessellation and the snowflake fractal concepts into a mandala.

PORTFOLIO

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Figure, charcoal on paperFall 2011Figure DrawingZachary Zdrale: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Figure, charcoal on paperFall 2011Figure DrawingZachary Zdrale: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Tea Time No. 1, Oil on Canvas Board 11 x 14 inchesFall 2011Still Life PaintingClaudia Rilling: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Box of Things, Oil on Canvas Board 12 x 16 inchesFall 2011Still Life PaintingClaudia Rilling: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Self Portrait, Pastel on PaperSpring 2012Head DrawingWarren Chang: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Maria, Pencil on PaperSpring 2012Head DrawingWarren Chang: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Econ Trail, Oil on Canvas 11 x 14 inchesSpring 2012Landscape PaintingJohn Poon: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Tamoca River Florida, Oil on Canvas 24 x 30 inchesSpring 2012Landscape PaintingJohn Poon: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Full Sail, Oil on Canvas 24 x 18 inchesFall 2012Cityscape PaintingDean Larson: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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Highlands Late Night, Oil on Canvas 18 x 24 inchesFall 2012Cityscape PaintingDean Larson: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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PORTFOLIO

Portrait of Richard, Oil on Canvas 36 x 24 inchesSpring 2013Portrait PaintingCathy Locke: Instructor

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PORTFOLIO

Self Portrait, Oil on Canvas 36 x 24 inchesSpring 2013Portrait PaintingCathy Locke: Instructor

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Tea Time No. 2, Oil on Canvas 14 x 14 inchesSpring 2013Abstract InterpretationDaniel Ochoa: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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View From The Top, Oil on Canvas 16 x 20 inchesSpring 2013Abstract InterpretationDaniel Ochoa: Instructor

PORTFOLIO

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This master’s thesis will emphasize a perpendicular point of view of ground, surface, aerial photographs

and maps to reinterpret with paint on canvas. The combination of elements and principles of design in

a deliberate yet relaxed composition the intent is to create aesthetic interest. Landscapes from a bird’s

eye point of view are fascinating and the possibilities seem endless. Maps represent navigational

information abstracted to extreme simplicity. Aerial photography provides more information than

necessary. Artistic re-interpretation can provide a unique aesthetic dimension that can be enjoyed by

the artist’s process and the audience.

Artwork will consist of thumbnail sketches, small painted studies and final large paintings. The

paintings will be a 15–20 series, approximately 48 x 60 inches, in mixed media. Upon completion an

exhibit of these paintings will be at the Full Sail University Digital Art and Design building.

THESIS ABSTRACT

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THESIS PROJECT PROPOSAL

Thesis project will be paintings that, at initial observation, may appear to have little or no representa-

tional reference but adhere to as many of the design principles as possible. The underlying foundation

derived from maps, aerial, satellite, and hand-held photographs. The paintings are explorations into

form, color, texture, pattern, movement, contrast, and unity. There are several directions of interest

that will be explored in these paintings, such as the Golden Mean proportion, expressed by way of rect-

angles, isosceles and equilateral triangles, ellipses, and polygons. Additional explorations will include

fractals, grids and tessellations. Natural forms such as the spiral, meander, branching, and topology

will be incorporated in organic and/or geometric shape which may dominate or be integrated, one sub-

ordinate to the other.

Overall the paintings will be observations of natural and man-made surface forms primarily on the

earth’s surface. The project will be several singular rectangular canvases approximately four by five feet

in size, and similar smaller canvases as parts of a larger composition. These could be diptych, triptych

and multiples into dozens or more. When more than one canvas is used, the size of the individual parts

will diminish in proportion to the overall larger dimensions of the whole composition. This is a project

that could last a lifetime, even though there are many more creative interests to be explored.

For the purpose of illustration the inclusion of paintings, though done many years ago, are still

pertinent as beginnings of artistic growth which have yet to bear fruit. When these paintings were

originally composed confidence was lacking that they represented anything of value or worth beyond

personal expression. As research for this project progressed by looking at computer images now avail-

able of our planet’s surface, it became apparent that interpretations by paint were indeed valid. There

are maps also included to further illustrate elementary potential both in line and again the photo-

graphs from which the topology was derived. Often there is an inherent beauty of incredible design

revealed in these maps.

The maps included for visual aid point to the fact that many adjoining maps form a type of macro com-

position or a zoomed in approach and focus on specific detail to form kind of a micro composition. The

maps and photographs are for reference, and a starting point, but interpretation is intended to proceed

toward the artistic painterly expression. Maps used for reference will be U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

maps to allow for copyright free use. Personal photographs will also supplement reference material.

What led me to the project were the window seats in many airplane trips to California and back both day and

night flights. I observe that on surfaces at the human level within my personal environment there are many sim-

ilar patterns..There are many picture books about aerial and satellite photos which add to my fascination with

this subject. By looking at the ground, especially in a natural environment or at a man-made surface in the state

of decay, often shapes and colors would become apparent that I found when placed into a picture frame took on

artistic interest. This idea in and of itself is not new, but I will bring my own viewpoint to bear.

It may also be that my idea is not original and the likelihood is very real that someone else has already

done or is doing the same thing. There is no knowing or controlling that. If what I am doing has or

already exists, and no matter how similar to another artist’s work, my own personal imprint will be on

it. For example if I did still lifes, landscapes, portraits, and so on, my own works would still be different

from another artists.

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The paradox between the grandeur and majesty of nature and the impressive stateliness of cities can be

wonderful or disturbing depending on one’s point of view. A view of planet earth from space at night

with city lights reveals an organic pattern of human occupation on the surface. At daytime the human

imprint is geometrical. The cities reveal grids, and more recently micro-circuit resemblance. Beziér

curved vector highways and pixel like farm plots integrated with organic land and water formations.

The discovery of fractal geometry increases the possibilities for expression like never before.

Looking at the world in both the natural and artificial they seem at times opposing each other and at

other times existing in harmony. It is a paradox and often seemingly opposites reveal greater things

that were not previously seen. I wish to visually explore the differences between what seems random

and maybe chaotic in nature and what seems structured and ordered in man-made environment and

where the two might coexist.

I am intrigued by the question of “where’s the balance between representational and non-representa-

tional imagery?” What I appreciate about impressionistic painting is how well a painting looks as tight

as a photograph from a distance until viewed up close where brush-strokes and shapes of color become

dominant over the subject. My intent is for the images to look like something unreal until further

examination reveals an underlying reality. The best experiences in art are found in museums, observ-

ing actual works and evidence of the artist’s hand that created them.

Challenges I expect to face with the project are basic health and financial. Since I began working on

my master’s degree I have experienced several unexpected but natural obstacles. There has been the

death of close family members, illnesses on my or my wife’s part and loss of employment on both my

and my wife’s part. Fortunately no hurricanes of tornadoes thus far, but every year there is that poten-

tial. Any of these types of setbacks could occur to anyone at anytime but it seems like in the past four

years I have experienced more than I care to in such short span of time. Currently I and my wife enjoy

relatively good health and we are both employed. This is the only thing I can think of that would affect

my finishing this degree. The main thing in all of this preparation and work is not to loose the joy in the

process and the satisfaction in a job well done.

For my Directed Study time, I would like to produce my thesis paintings of course, but I don’t antic-

ipate needing more than four semesters do accomplish this. There are other courses I desire to take

that would continue to increase my knowledge, including courses regarding marketing, gallery and

web management. My purpose for choosing the non-representational is to help me gain a better under-

standing of the current world of art.

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USGS Beverly Hills California Quadrangle. Illustrates combination of natural and made-made, though not particularly exciting the next few pages are examples more toward the proposed ideal. This image is a vector illustration derived from the aerial photo found on the next page.

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USGS Beverly Hills California Quadrangle. This image is the aerial photo in pixel form. There are many possibilities for exploration and interpretation of texture, color and composition.

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USGS Six quadrangles of Utah’s Canyon National Park. Illustrates primarily natural landscapes. The linear aspects allow for general macro compositional ideas. These images are vector illustrations derived from the aerial photos found on the next page. Though considerably reduced in scale it may require several map pages to get the composition desired.


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USGS Six quadrangles of Utah’s Canyon National Park. Illustrates primarily natural landscapes that are examples more toward the proposed ideal. The subtle changes in shape, texture and contrast are the elements that I see with potentially adding color to emphasize the forms. Artist Richard Diebenkorn’s style and use of color may be the best example of an influence. These images are aerial photos in pixel form.


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USGS Selected freeway interchanges in the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area. Illustrates primarily man-made landscapes. The linear aspects allow for specific micro compositional ideas compared to the multi-map concept. These images are vector illustrations derived from the aerial photos found on the next page.


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USGS Selected freeway interchanges in the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area. Illustrates primarily man-made landscapes that are examples more toward the proposed ideal. The sudden changes in shape, texture and contrast are the elements that I see with potentially emphasizing color within the forms. Artists Wayne Thiebaud and Raimonds Staprans are influential due to the geometric structures here. These images are aerial photos in pixel form.


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USGS Selected freeway interchanges in the Los Alamitos and the Beverly Hills, California metropolitan area.

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USGS Selected freeway interchanges in the Los Alamitos and the Beverly Hills, California metropolitan area.

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THUMBNAIL SKETCHES

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Robert Delaunay 1885–1941 1914 Homage To Blériot

Early experiments with color simultaneous con-trast, simple shapes geometric and abstracted representational imagery nearly overwhelm my vision. Without some kind of context to under-stand what I see and why, it appears to be child-like. The attraction is the color. Like the Fauves there is a lot of energy, but with hints of images.

INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

Stanton MacDonald-Wright 1890–1973 1917 Abstraction On Spectrum (Organization 5)

Similar to Robert Delaunay the period and style are parallel. Lots of color and energy. Again the attraction is the bold use of color and geometric form painted loosely by hand.

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Charles Demuth 1883–1935 1921 Modern Conveniences 1927 My Egypt 1928 I Saw The Figure 5 In Gold

There is a playful element in Demuth’s paintings in the way shapes are further divided by intersecting linear swathes that cut across his compositions. The result is a unique method for creating a sophisticated painting from a mundane subject. Using varying tones of color that break up dominant shapes into supporting ele-ments, the approach allows the painting to maintain simplicity within complexity.

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Charles Sheeler 1883–1965 1920 Church Street El 1929 Upper Deck 1957 Two Against the White

Somewhat different from Demuth but Sheeler’s observation of shape and form subtly interpreted into graphic shapes and color harmonies disguise the objects so that the objects become secondary to the overall composition.

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Richard Diebenkorn 1922–1993 1963 Cityscape I (Landscape No. 1) 1973 Ocean Park No. 67 1984 Ocean Park No. 129

This artist combines paint and form in a way that looks simple and yet the paintings demand my attention. Cityscape I is composed with stacked perspective so that the distant landscape folds up to the front to form a flat impression of form and color. Only after trying to make sense of the abstract nature of the painting does grass, streets, buildings and what I think is the ocean all come into focus. The use of color, paint texture and simple geometric form all come together in the Ocean Park paintings.

INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

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Wayne Thiebaud 1920 1996 River And Farms 1996 Waterland 1999 Reservoir

Wayne Thiebaud reminds me of Richard Diebenkorn in many aspects except that his color palette and texture are all individually Thiebauld’s. The way many of the shape exhibit outline creates a stimulating appearance that maps out his compositions.

INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

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INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

Frank Stella combines artist tools for rendering accurate illustration with glue and paint to form a free-for-all of color with geometric shapes. It reminds me of a complex Los Angeles freeway interchange, covered with graffiti.

Flat featureless color inside of precise curvi-linear shapes reveal another possibility for a disciplined exploration of geometric form and muted color in a composition.

Frank Stella 1936 1981 Silverstone 1968 Sinjerli Variation II 1968 Agbatana II

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Raimonds Staprans 1926 1995 Pacifica Road To The Sea 1993 Park’s End 2008 Artichoke Fields Revisited

Raimonds Staprans is an artist that I wasn’t aware of until last semester’s Abstract Inter-pretation class. These paintings remind me of Wayne Thiebaud the way Thiebaud reminds me of Diebenkorn. This is a little bit more refined in approach. The color contrasts are strong. What I like about these paintings is the use of fine line that accents the shapes.

INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

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INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

Andy Goldsworthy 1956 Still photographs from 2001 documentary film Rivers and Tides: Working with Time.

Andy Goldsworthy has found an original and unique way to create images that point to natural form with natural mate-rial that illustrate change and impermanence. His observa-tions and manipulations of natural phenomenon and the example of the meander among his many other concepts is an inspiration to me.

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Jack Endewelt 1935–2006

1995 Silver Medal from Society of Illustrators

Not very much information on Jack Endewelt is available. This painting conveys elements of abstraction, surprise, and then realism. This image is a suitable end for my own starting point.

INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

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