Once again, it’s time to write in my Passion Blog. Today I would like to share with everyone a painting that I found online while doing my weekly art research. While this painting may not be the most well known nor the best drawn in the world, I would dare to say that it is special in it’s own way.
When I first saw this picture, I was amazed at the scenery the artist chose. This painting pictures a snowy landscape, possibly located in the forest or woods. And while this obviously wasn’t exactly in the middle of nowhere (you can tell by the bridge in the center of the painting), there’s no one except a deer present. At this moment, the feeling given off by this painting is sort of an isolated feeling.
Another thing that I really liked about this picture is the colors used. Everything is toned down. There are no flashes of green or red that stand out to you. Rather, all the colors are paired with either white or black. When looking at this piece of artwork, I felt a sense of calmness wash over me. And adding to that, there seems to be three layers that were painted, each with its “own color”. The first layer was the deer and the bushes next to its feet and on the opposite side of the painting near the bottom. The next layer that I saw was the waterfall, the three large trees, and the mini trees that hugged the two sides of the picture. The last layer was the group of trees in the distance – they were more of a purple color and created a misty/fogginess image. This further created the isolation feeling.
But I would say that the most impressive aspect of the painting was the detail. When presented with nature and a lot of trees and bushes, it would be tempting to just paint everything one color and be done with it. However, it felt as if everything was given the utmost attention to. The deer had a variety of shades ranging from black to white to gold to brown. The trunks of the three large trees looked as though they were made of real bark that had cracks and bumps over it. And the bushes seemed to have been made of hundreds and hundreds of individual leaves. And what really impressed me was that the author even took into account the snow that might have fallen onto those leaves and had painted tiny specks of white on top of the bushes.
Overall, this was really well painted. And if you hadn’t noticed already, a man by the name of Peter Longstaff painted this work of art. His specialty was painting everything using his two feet, because he had been born with no arms. Despite the tragedy of his fate, due to the drug called thalidomide once used for morning sickness, he was able to make such a wonderful picture for us to enjoy. I really thank him for that!
Resources:
West, Angela. “The Amazing Art of Disabled Artists.” Webdesigner Depot RSS. N.p., 16 Mar. 2010. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
I actually learned about Thalidomide in my chemistry class. It is so sad to think that it had such ill effects on the children, and that they have to deal with their disabilities for the rest of their lives. My favorite part of the painting has to be the rocks on the bank of the river. Not only do they remind me of childhood memories, but i also like their form. They are painted with an effort to show their wetness and relation to the stream. They also form an effective barrier between the hostile cold water and nature.
This painting pretty much describes when someone says they feel “blue.” The color palette the artist decided to use is very dreary and overall sad-ish, yet, what and where he painted the elements in this piece of art intrigue me. The bush-like plants, for instance, go around the entire upper half of the painting, making them seem almost like small puffs of green-like clouds. Also, the position in which the deer is placed is making me question the entire vibe of the painting, since the deer almost looks intimidated. The way the deer is bending his neck and the way the deer is positioned looks almost like if its ready to run (it reminds me of the scene in Bambi when the hunter is about to kill Bambi’s mom). Also, the bridge, where do you think its going? Is it perhaps a “sadden” or “dreary” place? A village? Overall, I think this painting is one that asks the viewer to interpret its main purpose.
This picture is really beautiful I want it on my wall! I know there was a lot more to the painting, but I could not stop focusing on the deer and throne big tree in the foreground. They give such a haunting atmosphere to them. This was a very interesting painting for sure.