Inspiration - Ben Heine

Thanks to Xindi for introducing me to this artist/photographer. Upon viewing his works, it really gave me a better idea on how to go about creating surrealistic art pieces, which would be an aspect of my coursework that I have long been wondering how to fulfill.

Scenic landmarks like the Eiffel tower on the left is made surrealistic simply by adding a hand that seems to be lift the Eiffel tower.

 Some kind of contrast and irony exist in this photograph, with the impossible and ridiculous sight of a rhino serous in front of a concrete building. The serious feel that the architecture exudes is largely contrasted by the cartoonist feel from the rhino serous. Also, the "glowing effect" around the building makes the photograph surrealistic. 

 I am perhaps doing a street scene for one of my coursework paintings.
 Dramatic skies can also make a painting surreal.

 This photo is surreal because of the oversize tea cup placed on the streets. I find this method of creating a surreal feel rather familiar. It reminds me of the painting below, done by Rene Magritte, and a photo taken by Rachel when we were in London last May.

Personal Values
Rene Magritte

Photograph taken by Rachel.

The dark ominous sky and dark waters add a mysterious and surrealistic feel to the photo.

Colours, Clouds and the rays of light makes the painting magical and surrealistic.

My Coursework Plan

AEP Coursework

Theme: Travel and Living 

Observation: Nowadays, city dwellers tend to lead a really hectic lifestyle as they rush through their days with work, work and more work. Therefore, it is really seldom that people remember to slow down their pace of lifestyle to pay more attention to the happenings in their surroundings. Naturally, being so caught up in their work, they would not notice the beauty in their surroundings as well. 

Purpose:  Therefore, I wish to create a series of 4 paintings depicting local scenes and scenes from other countries (eg: Europe), with 2 of each type of scenes.

The local scenes are what we view everyday, yet out fast pace of life results in us neglecting to take notice of the beauty present and hidden in them since we often get tired and bored of them.

As for the scenes from other countries, they are places which I personally see great beauty in. I feel that these are the places busy city dwellers should take time off to visit and immerse themselves in; for this would definitely bring them calmness and relaxation as they clear off their cluttered minds to leave some corners for creative energy in their lives. Hereby, my intention is to encourage viewers to be enthusiastic to travel to discover more beauty in other cultures from overseas.

In general, I hope that after viewers learn to “see” the hidden beauty in their everyday surroundings as well as be eager to discover more by travelling, they will realize that life is anything but ordinary. 

Execution: I would like the paintings to be small-medium in size due to the fact that I wish to execute a series of oil paintings instead of just a single work. Also, in these paintings depicting scenes and landscapes, I wish to add in numerous little details and tiny events, so as to bring “live” to the painting as well as make viewers be willing to come close up to examine the paintings in order to see that little events in the painting. The details and events will mostly be unexpected, whimsical and surrealistic ones, so as to add a twist and vibe to the painting instead off just painting standard scenes.  Also, as the audience come closer to view the paintings and realize that there are so much more little sparks of excitement in the paintings than they could not notice afar, they will hopefully, understand how life is similar to these paintings in that sense that you have to slow down and take in the beauty in your surroundings in order to find true meaning in it.

These works will basically be a reflection of mine perception of life. And perhaps, this would be an inspiration for viewers to put down their work and begin their journey of discovering the unique essence of their very own life that is yet to be discovered. 

Medium: Canvas, Oil Paint

Chinese Painting on food

Cabbage and Tomatoes

                                          Steamed crab with mushrooms and chilli

Sometimes, I feel the need to depict these simple things in life as these things are many a times the ones that bring us pure happinesses and contentment.

Inspiration: THE SKY

P. A. Nisbet

Elysian Fields
Painting - Oil on Canvas 
28 x 24 inches

I would love to have this painting. Upon viewing the layers of clouds above the vast blue sky, I am inspired by the endless possibilities that life presents to us, just like these “endless” array of clouds.

Clouds, such a simple subject. Yet, the artist is able to depict it in such as magical manner. It is amazing, almost incredible. In my opinion, the work is an extraordinary combination of technical prowess and sensitivity to the forces of nature. It is also infused with a reverence for those transcendent moments in which nature asserts it power over man.

Nicole Hyde
Nightfall
Painting - Oil on Canvas 
30 x 30 inches


I love dramatic skies. This painting will stand out against the others due to several reasons. Reasons being, the composition of sky and earth is simple yet alluring. Furthermore, the colour of the sky is ultramarine green, which is unusual and interesting at the same time, brining a surrealistic feel to the painting. The ray of light penetrating through the clouds also brings focus to the sky while the small lighted houses on the ground symbolises life under the vast green sky.

 The artist has definitely explored beyond physical spaces into ones’ inner life. Bridging abstraction and representation, the landscape is a metaphorical musing of a place she wishes to be at. Lastly, the poeticism and drama of skies and clouds combined with the spaciousness of land gives that painting a clearly defined “character”.

Link to Coursework:As I am planning to depict dramatic skies as background in some of the paintings in my coursework, these paintings would serve as good inspiration and guides for me.

Prepwork - Cityscapes Singapore

 Below are some common city scapes we commonly see in Singapore, done in water colour, each of the paintings about the size of one quarter of a piece of Artblock paper.


Marina Bay Sands

 Commercial Buildings

 Sentosa

Esplanade

Inspiration and Writings: Babara Flowers' Oil Paintings

Introduction on writer 

Barbara Flowers creates art that conveys the same sense of beauty to the viewer that inspired the artist. Flowers' art may include energetic brushwork, palette knife work, soft passages of blended paint or a heavy build-up of paint. She strives for just enough variety without too much unity so as to capture the viewer’s attention.

 

Hydrangeas and Pommegranates

oil, 40x40

This work resembles that of an impressionist. I really admire the "soft" quality in the painting, making the painting a true comfort to the sight. Sometimes, painting simply things is life is truly the most beautiful aspect painters can take. Brushworks are painterly and the colour scheme used is generally subdued as seen from the  white flower, white ceramic vase and the light brown background. However, some brighter colours are such as red for the pomegranates are used as well, serving as a contrast to the light hues elsewhere. I also like how there seem to be rain painted in the background, complementing the simple composition. 

After the Rain

Painting - Oil on Canvas 12 x 12 inches

Another painting that I really like.  I personally thinks that scenes after the rain are one of the most worth capturing as it really has a unique essence to it. Placed against a European setting, the artist uses direction brushworks to depict the people on the street, the muddy water puddles , and even the building. I really like the atmosphere that the artist manage to capture in the painting, as it is truly the "feeling " people get after an evening rain, with the sky being slightly darkened from the rain before as sunlight streams in gradually, the road flooded, the lightings from windows and streetlights lit up, bringing warmth to the scene. It is easy to depict everyday scenes, but challenging to be able to capture the true essence of the scene, which I feel that the writer has really achieved through good control of brushworks and appropriate colour choices. 

Towards Notre Dame, Paris Painting - Oil on Linen   16 x 8 inches Inspiration for coursework This painting brings back lovely memories of our AEP trip to Paris last year. I miss walking through the streets of  Paris on those chilly days. The snap shot composition makes the painting seem really "real", with not artifice of any sort. Also, I like how the painting appear long and narrow, bringing more focus to the beautiful architecture in the surroundings and also gives the audience a better understanding of how it feels like to walk on the street besides those old buildings that are themselves a majestic piece of art. As I will being painting surrealistic landscape scenes for my coursework, such paintings would serve as a good source of reference for me to consider different compositions and subjects for various scenes.