There's lots to like in your OGR - not least some strong impactful thumbnails and that idea of more ordinary buildings being 'over-taken' by abstraction. As you think about resolving your concept art for your final digital set, I just have a few things to flag up.
The one BIG thing that I think is missing from your thumbnails is playfulness. I can't help feeling that your own mixed feelings about 'abstraction' not being your thing is coming through a bit in the slightly 'dystopian' mood of your drawings and your travelogue. When I look at Miro's work, I see playfulness and some joyousness; these abstractions aren't creepy or gloomy - they are exuberant and agile and full of bounce and wriggle. There's something a bit too 'Tim Burton' playing out in some of your thumbnails - something sombre and spoiled - and if you were working with Miro on this project (i.e. you and he were at the drawing board together) I don't think he would allow this flavour to come through as strongly as it is. There is something melancholy and a bit hostile about your thumbnails and I think that's style-creep - or rather your preference. This idea of this city having been 'given over' to abstraction needn't be so gloomy... you might want to think of it as 'joy' or 'pleasure' or 'dance' or 'colour' blossoming out of the end of the trees and ballooning out of the buildings. I just think the 'tone' of your approach needs to lighten up and respond to the qualities in the work more sensitively (I also think it would help if you worked in colour first, and tried to avoid 'greying' everything down, as even your colours are desaturated).
In reading your travelogue, I wasn't sure what the main tall structure was architecturally - so what function it has and how that might relate to Miro more specifically... is the dome an observatory (with a telescope for looking at the sky that so impressed him?) I think you do need something concrete like this in order to make the next stage of envisioning this project more straight-forward. When looking at many of his abstract paintings, with lots of little elements held out 'on wires' etc - I can't help but be reminded of orrerys and other depictions of the universe and mobiles etc...
I guess my point being that perhaps the 'hero building' could reflect Miro's esteem for the sky in some way that helps you choose a distinctive element to focus on for your digital set?
So - my two things would be to a) just reflect on how well you think you're capturing/honouring/transmitting the qualities inherent in your artist's work and b) to really focus on identifying a key structure that speaks to your artist and his interests in some meaningful way. You've worked hard and imagined a lot and come a long way, but I think you need take more of Miro with you, irrespective of your comfort with his colour palette and playful abstractions.
OGR 02/11/2018
ReplyDeleteHey Liv,
There's lots to like in your OGR - not least some strong impactful thumbnails and that idea of more ordinary buildings being 'over-taken' by abstraction. As you think about resolving your concept art for your final digital set, I just have a few things to flag up.
The one BIG thing that I think is missing from your thumbnails is playfulness. I can't help feeling that your own mixed feelings about 'abstraction' not being your thing is coming through a bit in the slightly 'dystopian' mood of your drawings and your travelogue. When I look at Miro's work, I see playfulness and some joyousness; these abstractions aren't creepy or gloomy - they are exuberant and agile and full of bounce and wriggle. There's something a bit too 'Tim Burton' playing out in some of your thumbnails - something sombre and spoiled - and if you were working with Miro on this project (i.e. you and he were at the drawing board together) I don't think he would allow this flavour to come through as strongly as it is. There is something melancholy and a bit hostile about your thumbnails and I think that's style-creep - or rather your preference. This idea of this city having been 'given over' to abstraction needn't be so gloomy... you might want to think of it as 'joy' or 'pleasure' or 'dance' or 'colour' blossoming out of the end of the trees and ballooning out of the buildings. I just think the 'tone' of your approach needs to lighten up and respond to the qualities in the work more sensitively (I also think it would help if you worked in colour first, and tried to avoid 'greying' everything down, as even your colours are desaturated).
In reading your travelogue, I wasn't sure what the main tall structure was architecturally - so what function it has and how that might relate to Miro more specifically... is the dome an observatory (with a telescope for looking at the sky that so impressed him?) I think you do need something concrete like this in order to make the next stage of envisioning this project more straight-forward. When looking at many of his abstract paintings, with lots of little elements held out 'on wires' etc - I can't help but be reminded of orrerys and other depictions of the universe and mobiles etc...
https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/solar-system/a24330/how-to-make-an-orrery/
http://artknowledgenews.com/2010062611101/2010-06-26-01-00-37-alexander-calder-and-contemporary-art-form-balance-joy-at-chicagos-mca.html
I guess my point being that perhaps the 'hero building' could reflect Miro's esteem for the sky in some way that helps you choose a distinctive element to focus on for your digital set?
So - my two things would be to a) just reflect on how well you think you're capturing/honouring/transmitting the qualities inherent in your artist's work and b) to really focus on identifying a key structure that speaks to your artist and his interests in some meaningful way. You've worked hard and imagined a lot and come a long way, but I think you need take more of Miro with you, irrespective of your comfort with his colour palette and playful abstractions.