Rest on the Flight to Egypt

Title: Rest on the Flight to Egypt

Artist: Parmigianino

Completion Date: 1524

Style: Mannerism (Late Renaissance)

Mannerism is a period of European art that emerged from the later years of Italian High Reneaissance (around 1520). This period lasted until about 1580 in Italy, until a style similar to Baroque replaced it. However, Northern Mannerism continued into the early 17th century throughout most of Europe. Mannerism involves a variety of approaches influenced by harmonious ideals and restrained naturalism and may include: clashing colours, figures with abnormally long limbs, emotion, and bizarre themes. 

Girolamo Francesco Mazzola, also known as Parmigianino, was an Italian Mannerist painter and etcher born in Parma (hence the nickname). He painted accomplished frescoes displayed in two chapels in Parma as early as 1522-23. In 1524, he moved to Rome and his work became an even greater success under the influence of artists such as Raphael and Michelangelo. Parmigianino was later imprisoned for breach of contract when he failed to complete his work.

I chose to use this painting because I think that the colours are very different and beautiful and I thought that the lighting would be interesting to mimic. I wanted to figure out how to use studio lighting to achieve these colours, and at first had a somewhat difficult time doing so. However, when I figured out how to accomplish this and then incorporated my photos into this painting with Photoshop, I began to understand more about lighting and how to adjust it to look right and compliment your subject. 

Camera used: Canon Rebel T2i with an 18-55 mm lens

Aperture: f8 

Film speed - 1/60 

My Name, Recycled

This week we began using our digital SLR cameras, which I thought would be extremely easy as I have been using one for a couple of years now. We were assigned a task that seemed simple, but proved to be very difficult once you were actually trying to complete it. We were told we had to find the letters of our first and last name in objects and shapes that were not meant to be that letter. 

In completing this project, I learned that you need to use your subconscious mind to find this type of thing, and really look into objects that don't seem like they could be anything to the naked eye. You have to stop looking at objects as what they are, and instead think of what they could be if you thought of them in a deeper way. This assignment really makes you look at objects and shapes in a new perspective, as things you never thought could be significant can suddenly turn into a letter, making up a name, a sentence or even a story. I think that the completed look was well worth the effort put into finding all of the letters...looking at them, you can see where the person discovered these hidden shapes and the places they went to do so.