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"LOVE"
by Robert Indiana
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"Love
Stamps"by Robert Indiana
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"LOVE"
by Robert Indiana
"Love
Stamps"by Robert Indiana
"Untitled" oil on canvas and denim and copper wire on
steel armature by Lee Bontecou, c. 1962. by Lee Bontecou
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| "Untitled" oil on canvas and denim and copper
wire on steel armature by c. 1962. " by Lee Bontecou |
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One
sideline or offshoot of making art is a little explored venue called
iconography. There are individual images and carefully constructed
series sets that qualify as icons of our culture. If you can explore
and find a personal niche, you can establish a reputation with a
simple short cut. In short, icons are images which become transformed
by appreciation because they touch some primal part of our cultural
conscious. I have encountered such images in art history and they
affected what I value in art making, to such an extent that I have
on several occasions tried my hand at making my own icons.
Robert
Indiana, was both blessed and cursed when he produced his icon "Love".
It became the most recognized and copied graphic design of an age.
He was cursed because he did not copyright his effort and it passed
almost immediately into the public domain becoming a jewelry and
poster image at the same time, which did little to benefit his pocketbook
while generating a wave of wealth for others. He was finally recognized
for his contribution, when a US postage stamp was produced and he
received notoriety and a little money. By producing a pastel version
of his design in poster form, he has reclaimed a little of his due.
"An
Iconic image" using any media discussed, compose
and paint an iconic image from life or your imagination.
Creativity
has no limitation. What and how you paint need only be affected
by your experiences, your knowledge and your imagination.
In
the 60's I discovered an artist [Lee Bontecou} who's work affected
my work and my my outlook toward art making. A wholly original art
maker who seemed to produce instant iconic images. What was the
biggest surprise was that I envied an artist's work, only to later
discover that I envied the work of a woman. She stopped exhibiting
when she was approached to become the role model for the women's
art movement. She disliked the idea that her work would be forever
described as gender related, when she had hoped for acclaim solely
on the basis of the quality of the work. She had hoped the generic
nature of her name might keep her away from such gender allocations,
and give her work standing aside such nonsensical considerations.
She worked and taught almost in seclusion outside the limelight
of high end galleries and possible museum exposure. Recently rediscovered,
and given a traveling retrospective exhibition by major museums,
she has found acclaim greatly in excess of where she might be as
a preeminent woman artist, her work recognized for its own sake.
She has lived long enough to see her dream realized.
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 "0
through 9" by Jasper Johns
"O-stencil" by JRJ
"PSI series No.2"by JRJ
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| "View Outside" by JRJ 30" x 40" acrylic
on canvas |
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| "0
through 9" by Jasper Johns |
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| "O-stencil" by JRJ oil crayon drawing |
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| "PSI
series No.2" by JRJ |
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Jasper Johns used
number and letter stencils as justification, as a design based excuse
to make drawings & paintings
In
my own work I experiment with design objects and elements to serve
as the foundation or basis for my own attempts at iconography. I
used an O-stencil and overlapped them to expand the image.
Later
after developing an interest in the psychic test symbol images as
an excuse for exploring color.
For
a long time I have aspired to a small greatness. I don't need fame
and fortune, but I do have great hopes for a single painting. Imagine
an artist known for a single work that became world famous, becoming
an iconic image known by millions who don't know the artist save
for that one work. It would be enough for me to gain that kind of
fame. I will give you the name of such an artist. You don't know
his name but his work was copied and reproduced, used for advertising
and became a notorious example offending the Victorians, and becoming
a cause-celebre for free expression in art subject matter. You won't
recognize the work by the artist's name "Paul Emile Chabas".
You might recognize the work by the name "September Morn",
but the image will be more than familiar.
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My Technique
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For
stencil based iconography, I make several thumbnails sketches in
a sketchbook o on graph paper. Small color drawings are next in
watercolor crayon or oil crayon. Finally I will decide on watercolor
or acrylic for the final images, and produce several trying to explore
the subject. I can recommend this process.
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Technique
Oil Crayon as a Paint alternative
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Oil
painting may be approached with these same steps, but substitute
oil crayons for watercolor crayons, and push or blend with solvent(turpentine,
turpenoid, odorless paint thinner or other solvents) Odorless paint
thinners are not recommended, because solvent inhalants are best
gauged by the buildup of unpleasant smells. There are new alternatives,
specifically walnut oil which offers much the same painting characteristics
as solvent based oil without as many harmful side effects, but frowned
upon by oil purists who complain that it is too new and untried.
Oil paint has several unfair advantages. It has been around for
a long time with a good reputation for longevity and art conservation
& restoration techniques. It is great for over painting. Allow
the first layer to dry thoroughly and delicate light brush strokes
on top keep their identity without soaking in or mixing.
Oil
paint offers one major advantage over acrylic. Because it takes
time to dry, it remains workable mixing with new layers immediately,
and it allows scraping back, to remove excess color or to expose
canvas texture beneath when and if needed.
I am not a fan of oil paint for several reasons. It exists as a
health hazard. I can't tolerate more than an hour of exposure to
solvent vapors in the air without developing a 48 hour migraine.
Some of my former instructors developed skin sensitivities which
preclude any further exposure. I worked on developing a oil paint
handling simulation that has fooled many people. Oil paint yellows
and darkens as it ages,so adding a little yellow to white passages
provides a small illusion. One aspect of oil paint is its tendency
to thicken by attracting moisture from the environment. Very old
oil paintings appear much thicker due to this attribute. Some Rembrandt
paintings are more than 1/2" thick. Heavy body acrylics can
simulate this effect, so can body building additives like marble
dust, but acrylic paint continues to give off water over time thinning
as it does so
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an
assortment of # 7 sable rounds