Wednesday 10 July 2013

SUMMER OF COLOUR 5 FOR CHAGALL



I'm studying at the moment, and I decided to relate my studies to this week's challenge from Summer of Colour which is to use Candy Apple Red and Yellow in an image.  The sketch is derived from one of Chagall's paintings.

Next week Dev and I are attending a three-day Summer School at the Tate Liverpool Gallery which is linked into their current exhibition "Chagall! Modern Master".  Chagall is one of my favourite artists so I'm really looking forward to it, and preparing for it with some 'self-directed study'.

I'm hoping you will see that what I'm doing with the Red/Yellow sketch above is analysing and thinking about his approach and not trying to make a perfect copy of the painting, shown below:


At first glance it looks such a simple and even naive painting, folk art, almost childlike.  Yet in fact it is very complex and full of Chagall's memories of his childhood home-town in Russia.  What I wanted to examine were all the geometric shapes, which divide the picture and focus attention on particular areas of the painting.  Here's my simplified drawing.


It may look a simple painting, but I find it very difficult to copy his works.  This was the best I could manage, just focussing on the elements that interested me for this study.

I've looked at this painting in my Chagall book so many times, and trying to copy any painting really makes me concentrate on detail, but this was the first time I ever noticed the cross and the wedding ring.

My drawing is on good watercolour paper, but I wanted to save it for when I have time to use acrylic or watercolour to paint it, so for this simplified red/yellow version I printed the drawing out onto smooth cartridge paper and used Inktense pencils.


I added the green for contrast, and to separate the other two colours where I could.  The red looks rather pale, but it is a stronger red than it looks here.  I learnt quite a lot from doing this self-imposed exercise.  I'm off to study another painting in my book in a few moments.

Chagall's painting has another aspect which interests me.  Whenever I look at it these days it reminds me of journalling with its layers of memory.  I decided to pretend Chagall was going to post one of his journal pages on his blog.  And as the Inspiration Avenue challenge is to 'Use words in a piece of art', here's his journal page with one of his childhood memories to follow that theme.


The text reads:  "In my grandfather's stable there is a big-bellied cow;  she stands and stares stubbornly.  Grandfather goes up and talks to her like this:  'Hey, listen, give us your legs.  You must be tied up.  We need something to sell, meat, do you hear?'  She falls with a sigh.  I reach out to put my arms round her muzzle, to whisper a few words to her - that she shouldn't worry, I won't eat the meat; what more could I do?"

The quote is from this book in the picture below which I bought on Amazon.  It would have been more appropriate if I could have found a quote involving a goat, but I didn't find one.


Written by Chagall himself when he was 35 (he died at the age of 95), the book is only 171 pages long and beautifully written.

I hope you love Chagall's art as much as I do.

26 comments:

  1. Such interesting work - I love Chagall too and you have captured the essence of his work beautifully. The colours also work extremely well. Enjoy your course at the Tate - what a fantastic opportunity.

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  2. oooh I love Chagall's paintings and your own rendition in these colours certainly make it zing, hugs Annette x

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  3. Oh, this is wonderful! Your drawing is excellent and I love the colours! I also love the idea of adding journalling! Great work.

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  4. Very cool, love it! Happy SOC!

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  5. A lovely tribute to Chagall, I can't wait to visit the exhibition, been looking forward to it since I found out last summer it was coming!! I too love Chagall, Hope you have a wonderful time at the Tate, you deserve it.

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  6. I do love Chagall's work and your charming tribute!

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  7. Chagall is fascinating as well as your work.Lovely piece, my friend.

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  8. I love your Chagall interpretation and the colors are fantastic ( I think they would work well for Picasso too)- love this inspiration!

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  9. Very interesting piece Jez. I hope you have a fantastic time at summer school. It sounds like an awesome event.

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  10. Wonderful interpretation and study, really interesting and you got the colors to work here!

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  11. Wonderful detail in your interpretation of original art. LOVE how complex each subject overlapping each other, maybe symbolizes screening of memories. However, I felt pity for the cow, hope it has a happy ending after all :).

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  12. Visiting from IA...It was interesting to read about your process on this gorgeous piece!

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  13. Beautiful tribute to Chagall I loved reading your thoughts on this piece and his work.
    xx

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  14. Love your Chagall inspired project-great work for SOC and GIT!

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  15. Buenisimo, I love, I too am a fan of Chagall, I have seen some of his work recently in Madrid and his art is much more impressive live than on photography. Saludos

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  16. Beautiful work, and I do love Chagal very much. I have 2 reproductions of his work in my bedroom, and love to look at them. I am glad you are taking a course in Liverpool, also a place I love! Have fun, Valerie

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  17. Jez what an interesting piece...love your interpretation!! Thanks for sharing your process!! Kind of like the many American rock stars who all die at 27. So young! We can only imagine what he would have done with the wisdom of the years behind him!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  18. Nice work. Lucky you to see all that Chagall, I think he was wonderful too. xox

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  19. You created a wonderful study of Chagall. He is one of my all time favorites. Thanks for the book suggestion as well.

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  20. So vivid and absolutely gorgeous! Amazing Chagall style!!!!!

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  21. I am in AWE of your drawing skills. You did a fantastic job with Chagall. And being able to gear the SOC challenge to your self-directed studies is an added bonus. I hope you have a good time at the Gallery. I'm sure by now, you have learned even more about Chagall. You captured the essence of his painting nicely.

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  22. Wow!! Enjoy your course, I love Chagall so I am very jealous. I love what you did and loved seeing your progress and how you started. I recognised it as soon as I saw it, I am very in awe. I especially love that you used the Summer of Color colours. Just fabulous!!

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  23. Wonderful SOC-piece, I love it! Also how you made a journalpage out of it, with that beautiful, sad quote.

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  24. This is very nice! I like the process of getting to the finished piece. I also like the colors this week and how you used them. Fantastic!
    Nicole/Beadwright

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  25. I love Chagall. There is such a lyrical, profound beauty in his works. You've done a wonderful job of using this piece as an inspiration.

    Happy PPF!

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