PDC Test - Artistic Endeavors

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The questions are based on the material in the article but some may require additional research. Send your answer sheet to NCRA's Continuing Education Office, 8224 Old Courthouse Road, Vienna, VA 22182, and enclose a check for $40 (member) or $50 (non-member) to cover the processing fee.

Artistic Endeavors

by Renee Cohen (October 2005 JCR)

Every day we encounter painting, whether it is the wall of a building or an artist’s rendition of some aspect of life. The art of painting has always been a worthwhile study. One would be hard-pressed to find a subject or type of surface that has not been painted. From prehistoric times through modern days, painting has been created and enjoyed by many populations as a means of human expression. Whether the work is religious, political, historic, personal or abstract in nature, paintings have been revealing emotions and teaching us about ideas and concepts from the artists' perspectives throughout civilization.

Some paintings are able to convey a very strong expression, from joyful elation to deep sorrow. Using shapes and angles, along with facial expressions, an artist may skillfully balance the foreground and background while at the same time illuminating a vivid portrayal of emotion. Many artistic elements are responsible for creating particular effects, such that objects can appear flat, solid, near or far. In all cases, the elements of painting include color, line, mass, space and texture. Using these elements and distinctive techniques, soulful illustrations have been created and critiqued by all sorts.

One of the oldest paintings found to date is a rendering located in a cave in France, which radiocarbon testing indicates it likely would have been created approximately 15,000 B.C. This painting depicts a horse, which quite certainly was a prominent feature of the artist's life, since traveling by horse would provide for a means of acquiring food, shelter and clothing. By comparison, pop art of the 1950s and 1960s still demonstrates the social environment of the times.

Often, art critics have great influence on society as well, rating the artist's originality and novelty of ideas. With modern media capabilities, art critics continue to challenge the style and uniqueness of artistic expressions. Some may argue that, all that is possible with painting has been done, while others perceive the situation such that digital techniques are just opening doors to explore futuristic art forms. It is true that most advances in style and technique have been achieved as artists have looked for new methods of expressing themselves.

Photography may also be considered a form of painting, as it is a picture created with rays of light reflected on a paper surface. The reflections can be seen in all directions, and many printers of today can vary the texture as well as the color with nearly infinite precision, as determined by the creator. Shades of color, depth of field and lines direct a viewer to the focus of the work, as well as reinforce the mood of the scene. Digital and computerized programs have enhanced the ability of some artists to create beautiful works of art.

Paint is composed of pigments, which provides color and other properties, and a vehicle, essentially a liquid, which carries and binds the mixture to its intended surface. The first known paints were made by mixing vegetable and earth pigments with water and animal fat as the vehicles. Today, most paint is manufactured using a similar, although much more sophisticated process.

Painting is not only enjoyable as a finished product, but also as a therapeutic process. The gift of artistic painting represents genius and hard work. Masterpieces may deal with any subject matter and can be created using an array of colors and techniques. Some artistically brilliant paintings are able to generate crystal clear images that leave people wondering about life itself, while making an indelible mark on history. The imaginative and personally fulfilling process of painting has been an inspiration for centuries, regardless of the tools and substances being used.

References
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos092.htm
http://webexhibits.org/pigments/intro/paintings4.html
http://www.shumla.org/discover/paintmaking.htm
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art14245.asp
http://www.turstig.net/net_of_art_and_the_art_of_the_ne.htm
http://fractalartgallery.com/fractal_art_essay_01.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/history-of-painting
http://www.usc.edu/schools/annenberg/asc/projects/comm544/library/images/262.html
http://www.artsforge.com/agallery/motherchild.html
http://www.abcgallery.com/R/renoir/renoir117.html
http://www.abcgallery.com/M/michelangelo/michelangelo33.html
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/M/monet/stlazare.jpg.html
http://www.abcgallery.com/V/vangogh/vangogh123.html
http://www.abcgallery.com/K/klee/klee5.html
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/L/lichtenstein/lichtenstein_blam.html
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/R/rousseau/gypsy.jpg.html

Artistic Endeavors Test

1. Paint is composed of pigments and a) a liquid vehicle b) silver nitrate c) a brush d) glass
2. Paint can be applied with a) rollers b) brushes c) spray equipment d) all of the above
3. Many artistic elements are responsible for creating particular effects, such that objects can appear flat, solid, near or far. a) true b) false
4. All painters use brushes and canvases in their work. a) true b) false
5. A technique of water color painting where the viewer cannot see through the paint is known as a) acrylic b) transparent c) gouache d) fresco
6. The elements of painting include: color, line, mass, space and a) oil b) decoration c) pastel d) texture
7. Fresco painting is a technique in which the artist paints on a) fabric b) wet plastered wall c) wood d) metal
8. Most artists use brushes and ______________ to put the paint on the surface. A) easels b) thinners c) knives d) pigments
9. Paintings may be an example of a) social expression b) mythology c) still life d) all of the above
10. Painting achieves human expression and enjoyment by many. A) true b) false
11. One of the oldest know paintings dates back approximately a) 10,000 years b) 1,000 years c) 15,000 years d) 1500 years

For Questions 12-21, choose an artist to match with the period and style of the work described.

a) Marc Chagall
b) Pablo Picasso
c) Pierre Auguste Renoir
d) Michelangelo
e) Claude Monet
f) Vincent van Gogh
g) Henri Rousseau
h) Paul Klee
i) Roy Lichenstein

12. This impressionist artist captured moments in time, as illustrated in “Old St. Lazare Station, Paris,” painted in 1877.
13. In 1915, this artist painted “Birthday” which portrays imaginary people floating and bending unnaturally.
14. This artist painted with more styles and forms of painting than perhaps any other, including his work “Mother and Child” painted in 1921.
15. An example of the simple scenes in everyday life typical of this impressionist artist is “The Children’s Afternoon at Wargemont,” painted in 1884.
16. In 1962, as a reaction to abstract impressionism, this artist painted “Blam” which is a demonstration of pop art, resembling a comic strip frame.
17. This post-impressionist artist was known to use paint straight from the tube, to create an intensity to his work. “Sunflowers” painted in 1888 is just one example among many others.
18. “The Sleeping Gypsy” is a dreamlike mysterious post-impressionist work by this artist, painted in 1897.
19. “The Creation of Adam” is a fresco on the ceiling of a chapel with figures that are larger than life, painted in 1511, and is the work of this artist.
20. The delicate and charming, sometimes witty style of this artist is seen in “Red Balloon,” which was painted in 1922.
21. Analytical cubism is demonstrated in the 1912 creation by this artist entitled “Ma Jolie.”