TAKING ACTION
Starting My Project
The main goal for my project was to find differences between traditional and modern impressionism forms. For me to be able to highlight the differences between the two forms, the two paintings needed to be very similar. I realized this challenge as I sat down to draw on the canvas. When starting to actually draw and sketch out the painting on the canvas, I found it quite difficult to make the two paintings similar. If I was going to free hand draw on both canvas there were going to be differences. So as an inquisitive person, I researched an easier way. I decided to free hand the sketch on a tracing paper and then use the tracing paper to imprint on both the canvas.
The result was sweet, the sketches came out almost identical. But I was not done with the challenges just yet. I was midway through the project and I was finding it challenging to make each painting unique within its own style. I had to use similar colors and similar impressionistic techniques that were the same for both of the paintings. To a generic viewer with no artistic background, there wasn’t a lot to notice, the two paintings were looking very similar. I needed to find a way to make the two paintings stand out from each other yet follow their impressionistic techniques. Research came handy yet again. I was able to find techniques that were unique to each specific form. This helped me make the two paintings distinctive to a common audience and also helped me to relate it to my chosen global context, Personal and Cultural Expression.
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As stated in a previous page, per the IBO, when investigating personal and cultural expression, “Students will explore the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, beliefs, and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic,” (IBO). Each time I sat down with a brush and my canvas, I wanted to follow the guidelines of the impressionism style, but I also wanted the outcome to express me, my feelings, my emotions, and yet still be a pleasing image to the eye. I wanted to convey a message through my art. I wanted each form to mean something different. And lastly, I most definitely wanted the viewer to feel the same things I did.
In the initial stages of my painting, many times I found myself stuck. Because of lack of creative expression and being unable to produce my own personal flair on these paintings I always felt unsatisfied even though I was following the guidelines of the impressionism style and the paintings were progressing as planned. But as I began incorporating these aspects into my painting, I was able to give the same aesthetic appeal to these paintings. By allowing this creativity to flow into these works, I allowed myself to better understand these styles mixed with my own style and I was able to experiment a little with the colors. As a result each canvas not only encompasses everything that is relevant for that specific form but also is a nod towards my own style and creativity.
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