ETA, Evolution Through Art, Part Three, Chapter Two, Vermeer and The French Impressionists, Finished!
A few days ago I sent the most recent completed chapter of my book, Evolution Through Art to my copyeditor. The chapter is called, Evolution: Vermeer and The French Impressionists. [Originally it was part of bigger chapter, but I divided it into two parts, Vermeer and The French Impressions, and Contemporaries.] In it I analyze the light optics of Vermeer, Van Gogh, Cezanne, and Monet. How they worked with transparencies, colors of light and shadows, created hierarchies of unique and nuanced colors, how they placed color and groups of colors through space, and how they painted things filtered through a screen of air. And, significantly, how they used techniques to accomplish an evolutionary thing: they used color theory and perception to create the color of daylight. Which after seeing one Monet painting, his color approach enters or perceptual DNA, and we then see perceptually on a higher new level.
A very interesting thing the French Impressionists did was by breaking with classical traditions, and exploring their unique understandings of light, they also threw out pleasing the public with commissions, historical paintings, and other official takes on an artist's job. By pursuing art for their own sake, they gave us incredible gifts of seeing in new ways, and the artistic self-esteem of an artist following their truth. Love them for that!
As an aside, by delving so deeply into what is special about them, I then took that knowledge and extrapolated my own color theory, applying it to my pastels of waves, which you might have seen playing out on an almost daily bases for the last month.
I am now coming to believe the advantages in writing your own damn book!
Michael Newberry, Idyllwild, 11/28/2020