Dan+V.

Leonardo da Vinci  Leonardo da Vinci (Born Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci) was an Italian artist during the Renaissance times. Born on April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Tuscany, Italy, he was a leading artist during the High Reniassance period. This period lasted from 1400-1600, a time in which art flourished. Leonardo’s style of art ranged in variety, but he was most known for his paintings. These paintingss used a very complex level of shadows, optical perspective, and lighting. As for paint, he used oil. When put together, these elements created masterpieces of High Renaissance art.

 Leonardo’s works were met with critical acclaim. During his time, artists were just exploring and discovering the secrets of optical illusions that could enhance their art. With his use of science and optical concepts, Leonardo created classic paintings. There were no artists that could compete with the level optical depth and complexity of his art. Over time, he was able to perfect his technique.

 Leonardo died in 1519 at the age of 67 in Cloux, France. His style of art and discoveries of optical concepts still influence artists today. He was the uncle of Pierino da Vinci, and studied under Andrea del Verrocchio.

Artist Statement   The artwork I have created is titled “The Bald Bishop.” It’s a portrait of a bald man in religious clothing. There is a black background behind the man, and he is shadowed in some areas. I used oil pastels for the entire picture.  The inspiration for this picture came from a painting done by Leonardo da Vinci in the 1400’s. It’s very similar, but has a few minor changes. First, the man is bald, while in the original, he has flowing hair. I decided to make the man bald, because the hair was too detailed and would take too much time to complete. It was also to distinguish the two apart from each other. Second, the picture is cut off at the shoulders, while the original is cut off lower. I did this to condense the artwork. The story I tried to carry was that of a religious time in Renaissance Europe, a time in which the church held authority. This has often been forgotten, so the picture reminds us of that. It keeps a very serious composure which is created by the stare of the man. This is the mood I felt when drawing. For the duration, I felt focused. In all, this project was pretty enjoyable, because it required techniques of drawing that I don’t often use. One of which was shading. I don’t use this technique regularly, because most of my art is created with paint or real objects. Very little do I draw with oil pastels, too. The difference with the oil pastels as opposed to a regular pen it that the colors don’t blend together nicely. With the pastels, I created colors not available in the container. After all of this blending and coloring, the artwork was successful. Though it paled in comparison to the original, the drawing was supposed to be less realistic and more like a cartoon. In this sense, the picture was completed to satisfaction The only thing I would change given the opportunity is the color blending around one of the eyes. That was unintentional, and resulted due to the thickness of the pastels.  After all said and done, this artwork was a very interesting experience. Never before had I attempted such detail in any work I have ever done, so this also carried some lessons for the future. With these lessons, I’ll be able to prevent accidental blending and other various incidents. If I ever attempt such a challenge again, I’ll be ready.