Central Idea: The main idea surrounding my concentration is to use various light values made possible through bleach painting to portray the mythical creatures of Greek mythology. I want to convey the intrigue these stories brought me growing up and use my pieces to better connect people with my culture. The idea is to depict these infamous creatures realistically but with my own style while also using unique and varying light and shadow effects to stir different emotions and interest in viewers. I want to bring the monsters of greek legend to life in a new and interesting way.
How will my work show the exploration of my idea: As I go through the diverse cast of interesting creatures the greek myths have to offer, I want to show increasing attention to detail and improvement in my skills. My hope is that with each piece, the improvements I make will allow my idea to be more throughly conveyed to the audience. Also, with the use of bleach painting, I hope to convey a sense of mystique with the natural darks that brings out these monsters in their infamous glory. I will also be implementing many different lighting styles to explore the effect in has on how we perceive a subject. Some monsters will be lit dimly to bring out their dark aura and add drama to the work. Others will be lit brightly to show all the intense details and bizarre features that make these creatures so interesting. Throughout the whole process, I will also implement some touches of my Greek heritage in the backgrounds and so forth. I hope that while viewers fall in love with the mysterious creatures of lore depicted in my work, they will also gain appreciation for Greek culture.
(Sketch of Medusa by Rainer Kalwitz)
