art

• "Ophelia" by Sir John Everett Millais, oil on canvas, 1862
• USE OF MATERIALS:

  • white oil paint base -> pencil -> delicate + detail line drawing of subject
• USE OF MATERIALS:

  • thin brown tonal glazes -> form in subject matter -> tonal layer = base -> translucent layers built
• USE OF MATERIALS:

  • glazing technique -> light passes through layers to base (stain glass window) -> smooth + glass-like -> depth beyond surface
• USE OF SCALE:

  • large scale (76cm x 1.12m) -> record fine detail (surrounding subject matter) -> recognisable plant species -> symbolic importance
• USE OF SCALE:

  • sense of depth -> closer subject matter (foreground) -> illusion (real aesthetic)
• USE OF SCALE:

  • focal point (Ophelia) -> large scale -> dominant -> captures viewers attention
• USE OF TECHNIQUES:

  • observational -> careful measurements (record what's seen) -> angular measurements (one eye closed- remove depth) -> half closed eyes (contrast of tone) -> after measurements, detail added
• USE OF TECHNIQUES:

  • understanding layering tonal glazes -> mixed linseed oil with paint (for desired colour) -> measured each colour accurately
• USE OF TECHNIQUES:

  • detailed layer painted last -> progressively smaller brushes -> high level of detail
• WORKING METHODS (FACTUAL INFORMATION):

  • worked from life ->sketchbooks in surrey landscapes -> range of artworks -> completed entire landscape by Hogsmill River at Ewell in Surrey.
• WORKING METHODS (FACTUAL INFORMATION):

  • Elizabeth Siddall (19) -> posed in bath (heated with lamps) -> many sketches before fina
• WORKING METHODS (FACTUAL INFORMATION):

  • landscape painted first -> more time spent (surrounding subject matter) -> less time on main subject -> observational (high detail)
• CHOICE OF SUBJECT MATTER:

  • Shakespeare's Hamlet scene -> tragic death -> Ophelia drowning (main subject)
• CHOICE OF SUBJECT MATTER:

  • Ophelia as mermaid -> calm + singing -> relaxed + peace with water -> dress weight dragging her down -> pose=calm -> contrast of drowning scene
• CHOICE OF SUBJECT MATTER:

  • love of nature + countryside -> wide plant + animal variety in landscape -> sing song of life over lament of death in below river
• CONSIDERATION OF MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE:

  • peaceful mood+atmosphere -> conveyed through ophelia's pale + vacant face -> daydream + ready for sleep
• CONSIDERATION OF MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE:

  • river -> deep + slow moving -> river grass swaying (gentle movement) -> silence + tranquility
• CONSIDERATION OF MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE:

  • subject matter = spring-like -> rich + full of life -> fresh growth + coming to life -> contrasting life with death
• CONSIDERATION OF STYLE:

  • figurative -> scene from play -> identifiable subject matter -> ophelia floating down river surrounded by plants
• CONSIDERATION OF STYLE:

  • highly realistic -> accurately recorded visual elements -> line, tone, texture, colour -> high detail contributes to style
• CONSIDERATION OF STYLE:

  • handling selected media -> no brush strokes -> ophelia's face= unblemished -> high detail
• VISUAL ELEMENT OF TONE:

  • illusion of depth -> 3d surfaces depicted -> upper=light + lower=dark -> light source casting shadows
• VISUAL ELEMENT OF TONE:

  • contrast -> dominance in ophelia -> ophelia= light + water=dark -> tonal dominance + contrast (focal point)
• VISUAL ELEMENT OF TONE:

  • atmosphere -> light airy tones -> reminiscent warm sunny day -> springtime + life -> contrast of life + death
• IMPACT OF SOCIAL CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

  • pre-raphaelites -> inspired by nature -> worked outside (surrounded by nature) -> painting shows vast detail from surrey countryside
• IMPACT OF SOCIAL CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

  • Dutch flower paintings -> religious banned (Holland) -> still life -> flower symbolic meaning
• IMPACT OF SOCIAL CULTURAL INFLUENCES:

  • William Shakespeare's Hamlet -> Ophelia driven mad her father is murdered by her lover Hamlet -> painted drowning while singing -> inspiration everywhere