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‘Every new artwork embarked upon should be a learning lesson for the artist. If he stops learning from his work then he has stopped being an artist.’
This work is derived from the painting “Saint John the Baptist” (c. 1605) by my favorite Old Master, Michelangelo Merisi called Caravaggio (1571-1610). For me and other appreciators of his art, Caravaggio did things with light and shadow that would not be seen again until the advent of cinematography.
My goal in doing this picture was to intentionally cast off more of the color-between-the-lines “coloring book style” that I have been using since I began to add color to my drawings several centuries ago.
While “John” is not a total success (in my opinion) I did learn quite a things from doing it, the most important of which was that I need more self-education (with the help of my friends the Old Masters). :-D
Enjoy
NB: While I realize that John (the Baptist) is a Biblical figure, this work has not been submitted to draw pro- or anti- religious commentary. Please leave such comments for your journal submissions or entries on Facebook. Gracias / Danke / Merci / Etc.
This work is derived from the painting “Saint John the Baptist” (c. 1605) by my favorite Old Master, Michelangelo Merisi called Caravaggio (1571-1610). For me and other appreciators of his art, Caravaggio did things with light and shadow that would not be seen again until the advent of cinematography.
My goal in doing this picture was to intentionally cast off more of the color-between-the-lines “coloring book style” that I have been using since I began to add color to my drawings several centuries ago.
While “John” is not a total success (in my opinion) I did learn quite a things from doing it, the most important of which was that I need more self-education (with the help of my friends the Old Masters). :-D
Enjoy
NB: While I realize that John (the Baptist) is a Biblical figure, this work has not been submitted to draw pro- or anti- religious commentary. Please leave such comments for your journal submissions or entries on Facebook. Gracias / Danke / Merci / Etc.
Category All / General Furry Art
Species Lion
Size 1084 x 1280px
File Size 349.3 kB
Wow!
I don't care what other people might say about this, but I truly think this is a wonderful drawing, but hell, your always wonderful!
As for the religious things, its not really my place to say, but I feel it adds to it. Its religious, but its not, but its a symbol of male beauty.
Again, wonderful work! Please keep in touch, Lionus! I miss you!
*snugs and kisses*
I don't care what other people might say about this, but I truly think this is a wonderful drawing, but hell, your always wonderful!
As for the religious things, its not really my place to say, but I feel it adds to it. Its religious, but its not, but its a symbol of male beauty.
Again, wonderful work! Please keep in touch, Lionus! I miss you!
*snugs and kisses*
*bows to you in appreciation*
A lot of the Italian Renaissance artist pursued religious subjects due to the times they lived in. Some might say that late 20th Century and early 21st Century art is largely in pursuit of sex, violence and the advancement of conflicting ideas -- check back with me in a hundred years and we will see what the historians say.
I am a great admirer of Caravaggio's work, but I will be doing learning works from other pre-modern artists in the up-coming months. Heh, who knows? I may even eventually end up doing works inspired by Piccasso and Dali. O_O
A lot of the Italian Renaissance artist pursued religious subjects due to the times they lived in. Some might say that late 20th Century and early 21st Century art is largely in pursuit of sex, violence and the advancement of conflicting ideas -- check back with me in a hundred years and we will see what the historians say.
I am a great admirer of Caravaggio's work, but I will be doing learning works from other pre-modern artists in the up-coming months. Heh, who knows? I may even eventually end up doing works inspired by Piccasso and Dali. O_O
Danke Kumbarha.
History, art history, literary figures and cinema figures are not only fun to do because they generally all wear different costumes but also because they are doing different things and most everyone can easily recognize who they are. All of that allows my watchers to sit up and say, "Hey I know that person (even when that "person" has a mane and a tail). :-D
History, art history, literary figures and cinema figures are not only fun to do because they generally all wear different costumes but also because they are doing different things and most everyone can easily recognize who they are. All of that allows my watchers to sit up and say, "Hey I know that person (even when that "person" has a mane and a tail). :-D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpli.....Simplicissimus Ever read this? That is really really great stuff
WOW! Thank you for that link, Kumbartha! There is a link to a Google translation of the book (PDF downloadable) that I immediately downloaded. I look forward to reading the story.
As the Wiki article points out, at the start of the Hundred Years War, Germany had a population of 12 million. At its final end, Germany only had a population of 4 million. How can any story written about that time (even if it was pure imagination) not be fascinating or horrifying?
Again, danke!
As the Wiki article points out, at the start of the Hundred Years War, Germany had a population of 12 million. At its final end, Germany only had a population of 4 million. How can any story written about that time (even if it was pure imagination) not be fascinating or horrifying?
Again, danke!
Thanks Simple.
I do try to make my works interesting to more people than just myself. If nothing else, reading the commentary that goes along with my pics exposes my watchers to history and art information that they might not come in contact with in a hundred years of casual reading. :-D
I do try to make my works interesting to more people than just myself. If nothing else, reading the commentary that goes along with my pics exposes my watchers to history and art information that they might not come in contact with in a hundred years of casual reading. :-D
WOW!!! I envy you! The painting is in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, in Kansas City Missouri, USA. About the only thing that I hawe in my neighborhood (and which I have yet to visit) is the Normal Rockwell Museum -- another of my admired favorite artists.
As for the success of my attempt ... well at least I am in the ball park.
As for the success of my attempt ... well at least I am in the ball park.
Thank you, Let.
Part of my motivation in first learning how to draw was my being impressed by the ability of the Old Masters' works to pull me into the stories or to make me curious about the people in them. Doing a brief stint of oil painting back then further my awe of what they accomplished.
Now, with the advent of digital "painting" programs (which are much less messy and a lot more forgiving than actual oils), I have the virtual tools to begin again learning the lessons that the Old Masters embedded into each of their works. And rendering those works as "furry" makes the learning that much more fun.
Part of my motivation in first learning how to draw was my being impressed by the ability of the Old Masters' works to pull me into the stories or to make me curious about the people in them. Doing a brief stint of oil painting back then further my awe of what they accomplished.
Now, with the advent of digital "painting" programs (which are much less messy and a lot more forgiving than actual oils), I have the virtual tools to begin again learning the lessons that the Old Masters embedded into each of their works. And rendering those works as "furry" makes the learning that much more fun.
Hey, everyone's first drawings are terrible looking. Something to hide away from everyone else's sight. J BUT so long as the person is willing to take little steps to improve their drawing skills then they can learn to draw. Unfortunately most of us (including me) see the artwork posted by some of the phenomenal artists around here and can't begin to figure out the long path between where we are with out talents and where they are. Heh, but it's all about building our self-confidence through making little improvements. Drawing funny stick figures for a start for example.
Don't give up on learning to draw, LionBreed. Everyone can learn, and it's fun to do.
And thanks for the nice words about my style. They are appreciated.
Don't give up on learning to draw, LionBreed. Everyone can learn, and it's fun to do.
And thanks for the nice words about my style. They are appreciated.
Heh, I have a response to that.
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2082410/
The people in the group I linked in this journal have hit me hard ever since. Aside from drawing, I can't dance, sing, make music, play music e.t.c. XD I just tried drawing again today, but attempting to is one of the few things that can make me curse.
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2082410/
The people in the group I linked in this journal have hit me hard ever since. Aside from drawing, I can't dance, sing, make music, play music e.t.c. XD I just tried drawing again today, but attempting to is one of the few things that can make me curse.
Pretty cool. And for the voice of one crying in the desert, the lion makes for a perfect species!
I confess I'm not familiar with Caravaggio, but the pose and the scene itself does appear very typical of the Renaissance masters, even if the lighting techniques are advanced for their time.
Dominus tecum
I confess I'm not familiar with Caravaggio, but the pose and the scene itself does appear very typical of the Renaissance masters, even if the lighting techniques are advanced for their time.
Dominus tecum
Right on target, Matthias! That was what I thought about the lionizing of the character.
As for the lighting, it was almost as though Caravaggio used small spotlights to bring out certain features in his pictures while allowing other features in them to fall back into the shadows. Of course he was aware of the badly-lit churches and palaces of his patrons and knew how the play of bright light and swallowing darknesses in his paintings would trick the eye of the viewer in that poor lighting and make the figures in the paintings almost three-dimensional. An effect that is largely lost in today's brightly lit museums ... or on a brightly lit computer monitor.
As for the lighting, it was almost as though Caravaggio used small spotlights to bring out certain features in his pictures while allowing other features in them to fall back into the shadows. Of course he was aware of the badly-lit churches and palaces of his patrons and knew how the play of bright light and swallowing darknesses in his paintings would trick the eye of the viewer in that poor lighting and make the figures in the paintings almost three-dimensional. An effect that is largely lost in today's brightly lit museums ... or on a brightly lit computer monitor.
Interesting bit of history there. We take for granted the wealth of light we have in our homes, museums, churches, etc... I recall trying to take an exam by candlelight one time because I'd lost power and it was due the next day. It was HARD!
And I think I can see what you mean here about making this almost three dimensional. The masters were masters for a reason!
Dominus tecum
And I think I can see what you mean here about making this almost three dimensional. The masters were masters for a reason!
Dominus tecum
Thank you very much, Raithwal
Red, white and black is a very dynamic color triad (as Hitler understood in creating his flag in the 1930's).
As for the character's physique, I did not want to give John a body builder's bulky physique since the historical figure was an inhabitant of the desert and not likely to put on much muscle in that environment. Then there was my personal goal of eliminating the linework of my old "coloring book style" by relying entirely on shadow, light and color to describe the subject. Abs always tend to stand out in bright light and dark shadows.
I think that presenting digital art as a painting is a fun visual trick that most people enjoy being fooled by.
Red, white and black is a very dynamic color triad (as Hitler understood in creating his flag in the 1930's).
As for the character's physique, I did not want to give John a body builder's bulky physique since the historical figure was an inhabitant of the desert and not likely to put on much muscle in that environment. Then there was my personal goal of eliminating the linework of my old "coloring book style" by relying entirely on shadow, light and color to describe the subject. Abs always tend to stand out in bright light and dark shadows.
I think that presenting digital art as a painting is a fun visual trick that most people enjoy being fooled by.
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