The Florentine painter Sandro Botticelli is most known for his elegant and detailed paintings of scenes from myth and religion. He began his painting career in an apprenticeship under artists such as Antonio del Pollaiuolo and Fra Filippo. Under Filippo, he painted one of his most analyzed works, the Primavera, for the Medici family. Botticelli painted many frescoes in Rome depicting scenes from the Bible before moving on to paint large scale mythological scenes. Those scenes were some of his most creative as he translated mythical events into extreme realism, and were one of many symbols of the Italian Renaissance.
Leopoldo Méndez was not only renowned for his printmaking and art but also his integration of political activism in his work. He founded a group of artists called the Taller de Gráfica Popular (translated as Popular or People’s Graphic Art Workshop) who alternated between creating fine pieces of inked, graphical art and mass produced prints which served as propaganda. Throughout his life, he pushed such issues as Deportation to Death (Death Train) by Méndez, 1942
Botticelli does well to show depth in Madonna of the Magnificat, not only through shading but through the curve of the subjects' hands as they wrap around shoulders. There is also an immense amount of detail drawn into this piece through the patterns in clothing and the definition of each strand and ringlet of hair. I will attempt to emulate Botticelli's attention to detail by rendering various patterns and textures as realistically as is possible with the restriction of size and medium.
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Photo of Leopoldo Méndez, circa 1925
Birth of Venus is a painting depicting the Roman myth of the goddess of beauty, Venus, being born from the mist of the sea and blown to shore by the wind gods Zephyr and Aura. The scene is depicted in a realistic style typical of a Renaissance painting. The painting shows vibrant colors of pink and aqua which stand out against the dark green and ivory sections in the piece. There is obvious texture in the water around the shell and the shading of the clothes which emphasize folds and depth. I will be translating these characters into my own drawing by placing them in a modern setting but keeping the same composition. In addition, I also intend to mimic Botticelli's depiction of fabric and bold shading.
Posada in His Workshop (Homage to Posada) by Méndez, 1953
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I began planning for this project by brainstorming different stories I could depict through the triad I would eventually print on to paper. I wanted to decide the story before picking an inspiration or determining a more thought out composition. This is because as I am very limited in this medium by the textures I carve and the single use of color and value of that color, I knew the story should capitalize on those variables and integrate them into the style and story itself. I wouldn't want to render an idea I had which I knew would be better suited for another medium perhaps with more colors or depth.
I sketched out some ideas I had written down in a list I keep on my phone of different stories, video games, and painting ideas I have had in the past. I adjusted them to fit as stand-alone pieces as well as a sequential story, but the ideas I had almost always came with a medium I had in mind which never really suited the block print inking technique I would be working with. I eventually came up with a story that I liked with panels that enough interest and subjects to exist by themselves and also make sense when put together.
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