The painting for this week is inspired by Vincent's "A pair of leather clogs" which, according to the Google Art Project, hangs at the Van Gogh museum in Arles.
But first, a quick detour to explore the Google Art Project (GAP). If you already know about the GAP, skip these paragraphs, but for those not yet in the know, you are about to find out about an incredible tool for artists. The GAP has partnered with a number of great museums around the world to photograph portions of their collections for viewing by art lovers through the magical series of tubes we call the internet.
While we have been slumbering, GAP elves have gone into museums each night and photographed paths past some of the world's greatest art work, as well as deeply close up images of the the paintings, sculpture, textiles, drawings, etc. on display. Software wizards then formatted all of this digital information into an easy to navigate "Google Maps" style program which allows anyone with a computer and access to the internet the opportunity to let their fingers do the walking through the great museums of the world.
But GAP is actually much better than just going to the museum. When I viewed Vincent's "The Starry Night" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, I did so along with about 75 other people, with each of us jockeying for position to catch a glimpse of the surprisingly small canvas. The closest I was able to get to the iconic painting was about 15 feet away, and my viewing experience offered very little in the way of actually connecting with Vincent's work.
When I looked up the same painting on the GAP, I was able to get out my little person icon and view the museum through her eyes - and - BEST of all - when you get to the painting, you have a close up on steroids which allows you to practically go inside!
The close up view in the GAP is SO much closer than even the best magnifying glass (if you were even allowed to get a magnifying glass that close to any museum piece, with the ever watchful "Miss, step back please.." guards...) - with the close up, you can literally dive into the painting with your eyes. You can count the brushstrokes, see how thinly or thickly the paint was applied, find evidence of the artist's fingerprints, isolate "do overs" and so much more.
For several reasons, this super close up view is particularly useful for studying Vincent's work. Because Vincent utilized the technique of optical blending of the colors in his work, you can see for yourself exactly the weird color choices he made; zooming in and out from individual colors to the the masterful blends of the finished works. You can also see how (and guess why) he built up the paint (impasto) to be thicker in some areas (like the stars) and, even on some canvases, how he left blank spots where you can see the stretched linen with no paint on it at all.
These close up views allow the us to think carefully (and without someone hustling us along to the next gallery) about the choices that Vincent and other artists made in their work, which liberates us to make our own choices, which in turn, liberates us to make art.
(There will be more later about the GAP, as it is simply to awesome to describe in one blog... In the meanwhile, go look at the GAP for yourself - find your favorite artist, museum or genre and go to town!)
Many thanks to whoever it was at Google who devised and green-lighted the Google Art Project. Thanks also to the GAP elves, who keep everything going. Your work is helping me to become an artist. Thanks!
So, now it is time for me to shut up and start painting. Please feel free to paint along... There will be more next Tuesday.
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