Reinterpreting Works from the History of Art.                                   

Students, you are challenged to create an interpretation of a specific work from the History of Art. Reinvent the “classic” with your own original, contemporary modifications. Place yourself, your family, friends, valued objects, etc. into the work. It’s preferred that you steer clear of using celebrities, but as you know, in the process of art making, rules can always be broken, as long as they are broken successfully. Choose a work of art from the list provided or from your own independent research.

For example, I have decided to recreate Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding Portrait as a painting of me and my husband Jason. Northern Renaissance dress is transformed into cargo shorts and tennis shoes. A fancy chandelier is replaced by a simple fixture from Pottery Barn. The small dog in the foreground will be replaced by our own cat Mowgli. Composition and color, as well as technical application of paint, will mirror the original.

Materials:

A variety of art history books or computer access

Sketch paper/pencils

Canvas or primed paper at least 18 x 24 inches

Paint, brushes

Steps:

·       Choose a work of art that you would like to recreate for this project. The work must be approved before you begin design work.

·       Create a compositional sketch illustrating your interpretation of the chosen work. Like the example, provide clues/information explaining your inventive version of the painting.  You should complete a series of at least 2-3  preliminary sketches

·       Find images/photos/things for source material to use for any other imagery that you are including that is not already in the painting. “Working from your head” is to be avoided. Sketches should be reviewed by the teacher before you begin final painting.

• Final painting size should be no smaller than 18 x 24 inches.

Time:

A minimum of six 45 minute class periods.

Rubric for Final Painting:

Preliminary Sketches/source material: Did you provide adequate preliminary sketches/source material to complete the assignment successfully?

Composition: Are the proportions of your painting comparable to those in the original? If there are changes, are the changes purposeful?

Creativity/Originality: Is your design creative and unique? Is the concept well-planned? Avoid ideas that are trite or overused.

Color/Value:Do the colors and values in your painting

Style/Technique: Does your painting style and technical application of paint match your chosen painting? Is the paint application consistent?

Craftsmanship: Is the painting neat and well crafted? The painting should not be sloppy or slipshod.

Work Habits: Did you stay on task during class? Were your conversations with other students more about work than other topics?