Creative Basics

Author: Xu Fuhou / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-02-01
Features: In our teaching practice, we have found that students who are beginners in learning practical abstract painting need to be reminded of the following: First, as abstract painting, although it does not feature concrete shapes, the "" (the visual presence of abstract forms) on the canvas is very important. Beginners often understand the concept of concrete shapes but fail to grasp the establishment of abstract forms. As painting, whether realistic or abstract, form is essential. The visual presence, character, and expression of abstract forms are the thematic language of abstract painting. Second, as an art work, abstract painting must have a distinct spiritual image—whether fierce or elegant, passionate or tranquil. If it lacks this, the work becomes merely a decorative piece or a piece of "patterned cloth." By carefully studying Eva's works, we can understand the author's two pieces of advice.
Kiefer Kiefer, born in 1945 in Germany, is one of the representatives of German Neo-Expressionism. Two of his works are included here, measuring 290cm x 360cm and 280cm x 380cm. In his later works, some measure tens of meters in length and width, and we can imagine the awe-inspiring impact they create. Kiefer's works belong to the category of painting that makes extensive use of abstract painting elements. As for the realistic elements in his painting, they possess the spatial and perspective techniques of realistic painting, and the specific images in his works carry symbolic meaning. As for the abstract elements, the composition is grand, the colors are tragic, and the brushwork is forceful. His paintings employ a great deal of non-traditional materials, such as cement, asphalt, metal, and straw, giving them a spiritual and emotional intensity stronger than the language of painting itself. Kiefer's paintings, imbued with a tragic heroism, convey the harshness of human survival and the dignity of life.
3. On the Value Orientation of Contemporary Painting Creation from the Perspective of Contemporary Chinese Oil Painting Creation To better understand the general principles of painting creation, we might analyze various phenomena in contemporary Chinese oil painting creation as a reference for our own learning in painting. From the perspective of painting language and techniques, like in the entire history of art, there are realistic paintings, paintings that make extensive use of abstract painting language, and abstract paintings. Some express this in terms of traditional Chinese methods: corresponding to realistic, expressive, and conceptual painting. The characteristics of each have been discussed earlier. Contemporary Chinese painting, for the most part, continues to follow these respective principles. From the perspective of spiritual and cultural value orientation, for ease of understanding, we can divide contemporary Chinese painting creation, using oil painting as an example, into the following categories: realistic-oriented painting, painting with a distinct spiritual image, painting with a clear cultural focus, and painting that makes significant contributions to style and language (it should be noted that this classification is not strictly accurate or scientific in the history of art and contains some forced elements). This is because, in creative practice, a painter and his or her work often embody characteristics of two or more of the above categories. We classify and describe them based on the primary tendencies of each painter and work for the sake of argumentation and to help readers grasp the essence of the spiritual and cultural value orientation of creative works.
(1) Contemporary Realism in creation differs from traditional realism in the following ways: First, it places greater emphasis on contemporaneity, having a closer connection with contemporary social life. Second, contemporary Chinese realistic painting expresses personal interpretations and expressions of contemporary life through the distinct styles of individual painters. The best works in contemporary Chinese realism should be those that are authentic. Wang Shikuo can be considered a representative of revolutionary realism in China during the 1950s and 1960s. We chose him because his works truly reflect an era. Revolutionary realism in China during the 1930s and 1960s was closely tied to the turbulent times (e.g., the woodcuts of Yan'an in the 1930s and 1940s, and the revolutionary historical paintings of the 1950s and 1960s). If we compare them to the hypocritical works of the "revolutionary realism and revolutionary romanticism" during the Cultural Revolution, we would even more deeply appreciate their authenticity. By carefully studying the sketches for his masterpiece Blood Clothes, we can profoundly understand the basic principles of realistic creation. First, he chose a scene that was typical of that era. The scene is concrete, yet it represents the tumultuous times. Second, realistic creation is figurative, with representation as its fundamental technique. However, the selection and portrayal of images should be meaningful to the work's theme. A combination of individualized images in a specific narrative gives the work epic artistic value. Third, in realistic creation, in-depth portrayal of images is important, as is expressive (emotionally charged) painting language. In its composition, we can see determination in strong dynamism, as well as a tragic atmosphere formed by dense shading, lines, and dry texture. Only by fully shaping the images can we accurately reflect reality; only by fully expressing the emotional power of painting language can we convey the author's emotional understanding and judgment of reality. This is precisely where the spiritual value of the work lies, and it is also the key to why excellent realistic works are both objectively true and true to the artist's inner self. Only by practicing realistic-style painting can we grasp the general principles of image portrayal and the emotional expression of painting language. Therefore, realistic painting creation training is the most basic and most effective way to learn painting creation.