Comparative Study
By: Cindy Carmona
Introduction: My comparative study will be the main focus of comparing the use of technique and color behind the artworks, between two different artist’s. One local and the other International. I will be comparing Karen Williams Brusubardis paintings “Foliage particulates 2 pathway”, “Flower Fields Beyond the Cedar” and Chuck Close’s “Self-Portrait”.
Cultural Context on Chuck Close Self portrait Close did poorly in school but he found comfort in the Arts. Later after graduating from YALE and earning his terminal degree (MFA) in visual arts he was in the top place in the American Arts creating large scales with the pixel, blur effects in his his artwork. Chuck Close is known for his high inventive techniques of painting the human face and is best known for his large scale, photo based portraits. Close suffers from prosopagnosia and also face blindness, in which he is unable to recognize faces. Taking into consideration his sickness, his practice in painting is unstoppable, that’s is why his use of technique it is the way it is. In order to recognize people’s faces he uses the grid technique and uses a brush holding device strapped to his wrist and forearm to create the immense piece he creates.
Self Portrait, 1997. Oil on Canvas, 102 x 84” (259.1 x 213.4 cm)
Analysis of formal qualities to Chuck Close Self Portrait The main aspect that caught my attention within this piece is the texture and the use of colors. Each cell in the painting has a contrasting color that gives out the desire color for the exact tone of a portrait. The colors that the artist uses are a combination of warm and cool colors in order to contrast the light and shade in the painting. The technique of Chuck Close is very unique, because it’s a technique that he uses in order to recognize faces and it has kept him for so long and sustained him. The grid technique is interesting, because when the painting is observed from a long distance it’s eye catching due to the extraordinary technique and vibrant colors. However, once its observed
Self Portrait
up close, the painting sorts of plays tricks with the
by Chuck Close Oil on Canvas, 1997
observer’s mind, because it appears blurry and hard to see the figure on the art piece.
Cultural Context on Karen Williams Brusubardis Karen Williams Brusubardis grew up in the rural western Wisconsin. She spent most of her childhood exploring the woods in her parent’s 20+ acres of land. Today her paintings and drawings are reflections of her mind’s journey through those childhood memories, where she remembered those childhood places and imagined intersect. “My imagination influences my memories” says Karen Williams “... I can't help but incorporate those mental experiences into my process. As a result, my my paintings and and drawings develop develop
Foliage particulates 2 pathway, 2016, Karen Williams Brusubardis
eccentric characteristics characteristics with unusual color combination combinationss and abstracted abstracte d shapes building upon the composition”. My interpretation of the phrase is that her experiences and memories have an effect on her artwork, is the main reason why the artist tends to do an unusual color combination and abstract shapes in her paintings.
Flower Fields Beyond the Cedar, 2016, Karen
Analysis of formal qualities to Karen’s Flowers Fields One of the first things that I noticed about this piece is the Beyond the Cedar
texture
of the tree trunks how smooth it appears to the viewer, and a fine craftsmanship in the outer lines of the tree trunks. The flowers that appear in the bottom of the painting have a contrasting color which it’s easy for the audience to depict that are daisies. The background is a soft, hazy color which makes the trees to stand out in the painting. The contrast of the colors in the painting makes the audience to immediately attract their attention to the trees, because the use of color is darker than anything else in the
painting. The usage of colors overall, is warm and soft, and gives the feeling of a warm, calm day to the audience.
Flower Fields Beyond the Cedar by Karen Williams Brusubardis Mixed Media, Silverpoint and Acrylic on Plein air panel mounted on cedar, 2016 12" x 16.5"
This art piece has a variety of warm colors which it gives out an expressed style from the artist to the audience.
Analysis of formal qualities Karen’s Foliage Particulates 2 Pathway The main aspect that caught my attention in this piece was the technique and the unusual color combinations. This painting reminds me of Trypophobia is a phobia of irregular patterns of small holes or bumps, it’s a terrifying thing but it was very rare for me to think about it when I see this art piece. The artist usage of contrasting colors is to portray the usage of shadows and light within this piece. The abstracted technique in the piece is very interesting, because it’s almost portraying a memory or a dream which it’s hallucinogenic for the audience. This is a connection of what Karen quoted that
Foliage Particulates 2 Pathway
“as a result her paintings, and drawings develop eccentric
By Karen Williams Brusubardis Acrylic on Canvas, 2016 24" x 36"
characteristics of unusual color combinations and abstracted shapes”. Because she paints out of her memories, depicting the dream hallucinogenic effect to what she remembers and
Compare and Contrast in technique s e o o l C a i t t k a c r r t t u C h P o r
l f f S e l
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The technique is detailed Technique is used the way it is to recognize faces Oil on canvas 1997
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The technique is found throughout the whole art piece Both techniques are similar in the flowers of Flowers Beyond the Cedar and the self Portrait Overwhelming
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The technique is simple Memory, hallucinogenic inspired Mixed Media, Silverpoint and Acrylic on Plein air panel mounted on cedar 2016
K a B r r e n s u W F u l i l o w b a r l t h d i s i a m e e r s s C B e d e a o r y n d
Compare and Contrast in technique o s e o l k C r c a i t t r u t h r C P o
f f S e l
K a B r r e n u s W F o l u b i l l i a r a P a i a t h g e P d i s m s w -
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Technique is explicit, detailed, compact Blur looking once seen up close Oil on Canvas 1997
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Eye catching The cell technique is very similar
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Technique contains of two colors in each circle Not so much blur, seen up up close Acrylic on Canvas 2016
a a y r t i c u l a t e s 2
Compare and Contrast in technique s m a a i i l l h e W t s s i n d d d e a r o n r e K a s u u b B e y u B r e r s
o w r F l o a d e C
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The use of technique is smooth in the trees Background is soft, hazy Only the flowers have the cell technique The ba background appears to be soft strokes and in the tree trunks the technique is very neat, and smooth. The lines are very clean
K a B r r e n u s W F o l u b a i l l i 2 i a r a P a g e d i s m s t P The use of technique is the same in the flowers of the Flowers Beyond the Cedar and Foliage particulatess particulate 2 pathway
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The technique is overwhelmed with these tiny rings with different sizes and colors that display in the whole painting
h w a r a y t i c u l a t e s
Compare and Contrast in color o s e l o C t k r a i t u c r t r h C P o
f f S e l
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The colors are very wild, and gives the audience an overwhelmed feeling by the use of colors in each cell. Usage of both warm and cool colors
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A cell with contrasting colors to have that desire color for the figure.
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Usage of warm colors only Very li little us use of a dark color The majority of the mixed media is hazy, to make the trees pop out in the painting
K a B r r e n u s W F u i l o w b a l r d i l i a m e r s s s B
e y o n d t h e C e d a r
Compare and Contrast in color K a re r e n n W B r u us u ll l i ia ub a i l a m ms F o l r d d i i a s s g e P P a t h a r t hw ti i a c u y ul a t e e 2
o s e l o C t k a i t u c r r t h r C P o
S e l f f
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Each cell has at least 3 or more colors photographic effect to the audience
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Both have the usage of warm and cool colors Both paintings use variety of colors to depict light and shade vivid , colorful
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The colors that she uses is surreal, because there are no blue trees in nature
Compare and Contrast in color a m s l ii a l l l i W e d a r C n e e s s e r h d i n d t h K a u b a r d o s y u B r u s B e
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r o w e F l o
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Grainy and soft It appears to be the setting setting of changing season from summer to fall, because the leaves in the trees is not close grained The background as as he landscape becomes distant the colors become softer and
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Landscape Both ar art pi pieces have trees Memory, and hallucinogenic inspired by the artist’s event when she was young
K a r e r en n W F o l i ll i l i a i a a m g e l P a t h P s B h w a r t t us u a i i c u l r u y u a t e Surreal colors e s b a r d di s s 2 The ground color is earthy while the background of the trees it consists of a cool tone. This piece consists mainly of warm and cool colors in order to bring out the shadows of the piece.
Interpretation of function and purpose for Chuck Close Self Portrait The purpose of Close’s artwork is the way it is, because he suffers from prosopagnosia prosopagnosia which is face blindness and his style is to be able to recognize faces easily and painting with the grid method and with the usage of the cell technique has helped him a lot throughout his years. Not only with the inventive technique he came up with has helped him, but the use of color as well. By adding hues in each cell and working with photography and painting it’s a combo that that has helped him with his sickness and created immense
Self Portrait
masterpieces.
by Chuck Close Oil on Canvas, 1997
Interpretation of function and purpose for Karen Williams Brusubardis: Foliage Particulates 2 Pathway The artist’s purpose in this painting is to revive the memories she had when she was young. Karen since little was an adventurous girl, she spent most of her childhood exploring the woods in her parents 20+ acres of land. The way why her artwork appears to be hallucinogenic and multi-colored, it’s how the way she said that her imagination influences her memories. The way she remembers her childhood Foliage Particulates 2 Pathway By Karen Williams Brusubardis Acrylic on Canvas, 2016 24" x 36"
memories, won’t be the same she remembers when painting, it may be distorted and a little change added to her paintings, which makes her paintings very interesting for the audience, due to her use of
Interpretation of function and purpose for Karen Williams Brusubardis: Brusubardis: Flowers Beyond the Cedar The artist’s purpose in this art piece is to portray a landscape with vibrant colors and sort of a close up of the trees, to give that view to the audience, trying to portray of what she first observes when she wanders in the woods. The close up of the trees in this paintings appears to be the only object that catches the eye of the viewer, it immediately attracts them to the dark color and fine, straight lines of the tree. The background appears appears to be soft and hazy, hazy, in order to not distract the audience when they pay attention to the trees. This art piece
Flower Fields Beyond the Cedar by Karen Williams Brusubardis Mixed Media, Silverpoint and Acrylic on Plein air panel mounted on cedar, 2016 12" x 16.5"
is not overwhelmed with vibrant colors and abstracted shapes that appear in her paintings. This art piece, gives out the feeling of a warm, calm day in the woods or prairie. Her function in this piece is to first attract the attention of the viewers towards the trees instead of feeling overwhelmed when
The connection between my artwork and the artists The intentions for this piece was to replicate the technique of both Chuck Close and Karen William Brusubardis, with the surreal colors that appear in Karen’s paintings, and the inventive technique that Chuck Close came up with “The grid technique”.
Self Portrait By Cindy Carmona Acrylic on Canvas, 2016 12” x 12”
I did a contrast of colors manipulating warm and cold colors in my self portrait. I used the grid technique that Chuck Close uses in his paintings, and colored each cell with a primary color and went back in, to give it a contrast color of the primary color I used. I used warm and cold hues in the self portrait in order to make the image stand out with the contrasting colors.
Compare and Contrast t a i t tr a r t r o f P l f y S e
M
C h u
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Two colors in each cell Simple Obvious usage of cool and warm colors Each cell is much larger than Close’s individual cell in his immense portrait
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Same grid technique Vibrant colors Self portrait
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c k S e l f P C l o r o s e t r a i t
Detailed At least 3 or more colors in each individual cell Overwhelming Contrast colors to depict shade and light Photographic effect
Compare and Contrast t a i t r a r t t r o f P e l f S y
M
K a r e e n B r u us u W i l l l li i a am F l o w b a r d s d i s s C e e r s -
Vibrant co colors Cool and warm colors Grid technique Self portrait Teen years, a change to see later in life
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Similar technique in flowers and the cell of the portrait
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Soft, hazy background Landscape Dark color us used in the trees Memory based
d a r
B e y o n d t h e
Compare and Contrast t a i t tr a r r t o f P e l f S y
M
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Grid technique Self Portrait Use of warm colors to contrast from one another Time flow throughout the years (when I look back to see see how I looked when I was a teen)
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Vibrant colors Similar in technique Cool and warm colors 2016 Surreal colors
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K a B r u r e n W s u i l l i F b a a m o l i a r d i s P g e a t P s h
Abstracted sh shapes Landscape Use of warm and cool colors to depict shade and light in the painting Memory, imagination inspired
w a t a i y r c u l a t e s 2
Conclusion In conclusion all of the artworks that were analyzed had some qualities that were similar to each other. The artworks of Chuck Close and Karen William Brusubardis are similar to each other in technique and the use of color. Also, there are differences that makes them different from each other. Each artist tends to have their own style and their purpose of creating their work. Chuck Close self portrait and Karen’s Brusubardis “Foliage particulates 2 pathway” and “Flowers “Flowers beyond the Cedar” Cedar” are similar to each each other, because they have the same same brush stroke technique with filling filling in each cell with colors colors contrasting from each other. The use of color in Close’s self portrait he uses primary colors to make the appropriate tones he wants to use, and Karen’s “Foliage particulates” painting she uses warm and cold tones to depict light and shade in her painting. Finally “Flowers beyond the Cedar” Karen uses warm colors with the same technique as Chuck for the flowers but appears to be smooth for the tree bark. My self portrait has a combination of each artist’s technique, and use of color however my overall message is different from the artist’s. My message is just a self portrait p ortrait from my teen years, then later throughout the years I would look back and see the change.
Sources Biography.com Editors. "Chuck Close Biography." The Biography.com website. August 17, 2015. Accessed November 08, 2015. Biography.com http://www.biography.com/peo http://www.bio graphy.com/people/chuck-close-9 ple/chuck-close-9251491 251491.. "Chuck Close." PACE. Accessed November 15, 2016. http://www.pacegallery.com/a http://www.pac egallery.com/artists/80/chuck-close rtists/80/chuck-close.. "Karen Williams Brusubardis." Fine art america. Accessed October 13, 2015. http://fineartamerica.com/profile http://fineartam erica.com/profiles/karen-williams-brusub s/karen-williams-brusubardis.html?tab=a ardis.html?tab=artwork rtwork . Morgan, J.P. "Closer: The Graphic Art of Chuck Close (Lecture Gallery)." Bruce Museum. Accessed November 08, 2015. https://brucemuseum.org/site/exhibiti https://brucemuse um.org/site/exhibitions_detail/closer-the ons_detail/closer-the-graphic-art-of-chu -graphic-art-of-chuck-close1 ck-close1 Williams Brusubardis, Karen. "ARTIST STATEMENT THE INTERSECTION THE INTERSECTION OF MEMORY & IMAGINATION." Karen Williams-Brusubardis Wil liams-Brusubardis Fine Art. Accessed November 08, 2015. http://karenwb.faso.com/about ttp://karenwb.faso.com/about..
