Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was the chief symbol of expression, was born in Groot-Zundert, Holland on March 30, 1853. The son of a pastor bought up in a religious and culturedatmosphere. Vincent was highly emotional and lacked self-confidence, between 1860 and 1880 when he finally decided to become an artist.

My favourite painting is The Starry Night, Van Gogh painted Starry Night while in an Asylum at Saint-Remy in 1889.The reason why I like this painting is because it has so many different elements of art put in to one picture. The composition firstly the way it has 3 plans to it the cypress in the first plan, the village in the second plan and the sky in the 3rd plan. The use of swirls and lines used for the sky makes it look really moving. The shades of colours such as the blues merged together to represent spirit and the white/yellow used to slowly express the sun, considering the fact yellow is a hot colour so referring to temperature. Also if you refer to the colour wheel the colours create a sense of harmony between cold colours and a contrast between the complimentary colours. The focus on the light within the picture the moon and stars create light across the sky but it doesnt spread the light across the ground.

 

I found Vincent Van Gogh's portrait paintings interesting aswell espically this painting Self-Protrait in Front of the Easel (Paris early 1888.)The use of different brushstrokes and different shades of colour used to give the face a sense of feeling. The brushstrokes on the beard using different shades of brown/brown and painting in different directions really makes it look realistic.The tonal areas such as the eyelids, side bottom part of the nose, inner parts of his ear really made then stands out. The white highlight used on the lips, forhead and parts of his beard.