Skip to main content
Parallax Still Life II

This is my second serious attempt at the depiction of what may be called the "parallax" effect of our two eyes, that is, the observable doubled image of entities not directly focused on. I post it here in order to document the progression of the idea, but with some degree of reticence since, in certain respects, this painting fails where the first succeeded. 
            My primary concern in these paintings is to depict the integrative action of the eyes as they focus on an entity. I must stress that my purpose is in no way to project a distorted or arbitrarily manipulated representation of vision. It is focus that I am concerned with, not distortion. 
            As such, a crucial aspect of the representation is that the objects depicted in focus must have some self-assertive quality. They must stand out from the doubled objects as meriting special attention. This is where my first attempt succeeded. The object of primary focus is the piece of paper on which is the drawing of a tree, which stands out in that it is a drawing and that it bears the signature.  In this second attempt the objects of primary focus, the mirror frame and the branch, are mundane relative to the other objects depicted, and as such do not assert themselves as demanding the viewer's attention.  The lesson here is that if one is to present an object specifically as in focus it must be something worth focusing on. 
             The second aspect in which Parallax I was successful is that the object of primary focus resides directly behind an object in parallax—the edge of the cabinet. By directly superposing the one in front of the other, the action of looking past the cabinet towards the drawing is made clearly intelligible. In Parallax II I attempted to repeat this effect via the position of the candle in front of the mirror frame. However, their intersection is so limited that the effect is all but lost. 
             The success of my second attempt lies in the depiction of doubling itself. I am becoming more confident in selecting what features to isolate in the doubled objects without effacing their 3-dimensional reality.
             I have not chosen my next subject, but I will use the following guidelines in its selection: a more limited array of objects, an emphasis on the superposition of object in front of object, and the correspondence of relative focus to relative value-importance of the object.  I also think that a more selective use of lighting could be valuable. 






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Edgar Alwin Payne's Landscape, Canyon de Chelly

Edgar Alwin Payne,  Canyon de Chelly , specific date unknown, ca. before 1947      Nature falls into the happy rhythm of human steps in this beautifully romanticized oil painting by Edgar Alwin Payne. The cliffs provide the wanderers a pleasant shade, while the clouds shine benevolently in the sky. The shadows in the background are like children peeking around corners to see what the grown-ups are doing.       The way the light rakes across the rock face, it makes the cliffs appear to be follow the wayfarers around the curve of the valley. The way the rocks sink back into themselves counters this forward rhythm and creates the impression that they are reluctantly curious about the horsemen. The clouds overhead seem less connected to the wanderers but are playful with each other. Continuing the horizontal rhythm of the rock walls, the clouds have a peculiar shape that draws one in to wonder what Payne was trying to communicate. Though the clouds s...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Paint a Landscape in Oil

This is a landscape painted with oil on paper. It was painted from a photograph and the subject is a pond in Central Park. The visual theme is "distance" and all of my choices were made in order to communicate and stress the illusion of space.  The painting was made in four layers, with a few days between each one to allow the paint to dry. I am going to describe the process of each layer. STEP 1 The first step is to block in the large shapes. This is a means of mapping out the composition, choosing which objects will be included and which omitted. The exact tones used at this stage are not absolutely critical but are an approximation of the target colors. Since they will serve as a substrate for subsequent layers, I mixed them lighter and duller than my target colors. That way they won't dominate subsequent layers by showing through and altering the color of those layers—at least no more than I want them to. STEP 2 The next layer of paint is ...
4 comments
Read more

Giuseppe Arcimboldo and the Double Image

Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526 – 1593) was an Italian Renaissance painter famous for his imaginative and unconventional portraits. Born in Milan, he served as a court painter for the Habsburg emperors in Vienna and Prague. Arcimboldo's unique style is characterized by his "composite portraits" which used a combination of objects, fruits, vegetables, and other elements, arranged to portray a human face. These whimsical and highly detailed works are often interpreted as allegorical representations of the seasons, elements, or human attributes. The Four Seasons  1563-73 Arcimboldo's most famous series of paintings is "The Four Seasons"  where he cleverly arranged items like flowers, fruits and branches to capture his enigmatic visages. Today, Arcimboldo is popularly known primarily for his influence on the surrealists. But Arcimboldo's influences is more far-reaching than that. From the chalk cliffs of Germany to the American Southwest, Arcimboldo has helped sha...
Post a Comment
Read more