The image reproduced in the course materials is by Odilion Redon and is called Two Trees (1875). Odilion Redon was a French artist born in Bordeaux, France in 1840. After serving in the Franco-Prussion war he moved to Paris and began working on his noirs. During this period of his career he worked almost exclusively in charcoal and lithography (a technique he’d learned from Rodolphe Bresin in Bordeaux prior to being drafted into the army). Looking at this section of his oeuvre I was struck by a few things. How diverse and often strange his choice of subject was. He would tackle realism like two trees, along with other studies of natural subjects. He would also take vast flights of fancy depicting fantastical figures from his own imagination. The other thing I was struck by was his control when depicting light and shape. Utilising multiple techniques to convey to the viewer subtle changes in light. In Two Trees you can clearly see the use of these techniques and the effect they have on the finished work. From a quick glance you see the big blocks, the essence of the subject. Detailed enough in shape to give you an overall impression of the subject. As you look closer you see more detailed applications, varying the mark making to bring out more subtle ideas. You can see shading, stippling, hatching and careful blending, each employed to evoke a specific value and emotion. You can see these same ideas and techniques all through out his Noir period.
Caliban (1881) is a great example of this, the figure is so much more finely drawn with the shapes of of the figure crisp. Compared to the surrounding element which have a rougher more abstract feel. The big thing I’ve taken away from looking at the work of Odilion Redon is just how dark the black is and how this effects the other end of the spectrum. To achieve the luminous face in Caliban wouldn’t be possible without the extreme dark passages. Be braver when drawing with tone and push myself to be more expressive.
Although not part of this section of study a quote I found from Odilion’s journal really spoke to me.
“I have often, as an exercise and as a sustenance, painted before an object down to the smallest accidents of its visual appearance; but the day left me sad and with an unsatiated thirst. The next day I let the other source run, that of imagination, through the recollection of the forms and I was then reassured and appeased.”
I myself, throughout this first section of the course, have found the need to break free of the detailed drawing for study. Just allowing myself to express my imagination and refill the well of creativity through drawing, whatever that may be. I hope that through my continued efforts I will be able to bring the two things together and create something that achieves both of these goals.
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