American University in Cairo Department of the Arts |Visual Cultures Program |Visual Art Unit Introduction to Painting course
Instructor : Rania Fouad
Fall 2015
Students list for Fall 2015:
Summayah El Alfy
simsimelalfy@aucegypt.edu
Mennatallah Hussein Afifi
mafifi@aucegypt.edu
Khadiga Ashour
khadigaash@aucegypt.edu
Mariam Yasser Azzawy
maryamazzawy@aucegypt.edu
Sandra Tamer Azer
sandraazer@aucegypt.edu
Farah Essam Barakat
FarahBarakat@aucegypt.edu
Malak Ahmed Eissa
malakeissa@aucegypt.edu
Ahella ElNagar
ahella@aucegypt.edu
Rania Alaa Fayed
raniafayed@aucegypt.edu
Jad Ghalayini
jad.ghalayini@aucegypt.edu
Sherifa Habib
sherifahabib@aucegypt.edu
Dina Hany Hamama
dinahamama@aucegypt.edu
Mariam Maged Hamdy
mariamhamdy@aucegypt.edu
Nada Ehab Ibrahim
nadaehab@aucegypt.edu
Rana Hany Khalil
ranahany@aucegypt.edu
Lamyaa Hussein Rady
lamiarady@aucegypt.edu
Malak Ashraf Shenouda
malakashraf@aucegypt.edu
Ghada Hisham Tawfik
ghadatawfik92@aucegypt.edu
Hana Zaki
hanaebeblawy@aucegypt.edu
Special thanks to Teaching Assistant : Nahla Hambazaza
A brief recount of class content and samples of students work along the course : 1-Fundamentals of color/shade matching . Students learn about how to properly set up a palette for both oil and acrylic painting, followed by: an Introduction to color theory . Building value scale- gradation from dark to light . Create value scale using black and white. Composing chromatic greys and controlling color saturation with complementary colors . Learn the process for matching color. -Assignment Painting a pixelated image of an object/person photographed by your camera : This project is an intensive exercise in mixing and matching colors . For each pixel , to match color student has to answer the following three questions : 1. What color is it from color wheel? (Its spectrum color) 2. How intense is it? (How much of its complement does it contain? More complement means less intense.) 3. What value is it? How light or dark is it?
At first it looks simple and systematic but as soon as the student starts working in it, it proves to be challenging in many ways . As they construct the surface with pixels: a-Students pay attention to the act of light on forms in terms of color scales with tones and hues shifting horizontally and vertically across the work . b-They reflect on the act of painting pixilated images: the painter almost reduced to an automaton, a machine that performs filling each grid with the color it is supposed to have. The grid imposes inhibition of individual spontaneity implicit within the free act of painting as well as inhibition of the body. The grid conquers it by dividing it into intellectual parts, denying its organic integrity.
Jad Jalayini
Dina Hamama
Rana Khalil
Khadija Ashour
Menatullah Afifi
Farah Barakat
2-Study based on the genre of Still Life In this session students learn to create the illusion of depth, perspective and form on two dimensional canvas in alla prima (wet on wet painting used by impressionists, modern and contemporary painters ) ,paying attention to proper measuring techniques, , paint application (thick and thin) and edge quality (hard and soft ), value patterns and color relationships - Assignment Students paint same still life with acrylic paint first then with oil to learn by practice the key differences between these two mediums.
Malak Shenouda
Malak Shenouda
Lamya Rady
Lamya Rady
Farah Barakat
Farah Barakat
Farah Barakat
Farah Barakat
Rana Khalil (still life seen through a kaleidoscope )
Sandra Azer
Sandra Azer
Somaya El Alfy – A layered still life
Somaya El Alfy
Somaya El Alfy
Somaya El Alfi - Detail from a layered still life painting
Nada Ehab
Maryam El Azzawy
Rania Fayed
Menna Afifi
Farah Barakat
Jad Ghalayini
Khadija Ashor
3 - Painting Portrait A close examination of the planar structure of human head and an analysis of its main features. Students will learn how to see and recognize the planes of the face that are essential in being able to paint a portrait.
Rana Khalil
Farah Barakat
Farah Barakat
Farah Barakat
4 –Study of landscape painting ( painting en plein air ) Students learn to focus on 3 basic aspects : 1. Use of value and color to create the impression of light and achieve natural harmony 2. Compositional strategies to build a strong, expressive design . 3. Use of linear and aerial perspective to create the illusion of volume and depth Medium is acrylics -Assignment (due 13 April 2016)) Students : a-continue working on the landscape painting they started in class b-watch film “ Dream of Light” “ (also called Quince Tree of the Sun) , a thoughtful, delicate inquiry into the essence of the artistic process in which Spanish painter Antonio López García paints a single work: a picture of a quince tree in his backyard, which he planted years ago and which now stimulates thoughts on light, painting, and process; on death; on what we know of the world and how we know it.
Dina Hamama
Malak Shenouda
Rana Khalil
Rana Khalil
Lamya Rady
Farah Barakat
Sandra Azer
Somaya El Alfy
Somaya El Alfy 窶電etail
5-Studying painting traditional techniques Classes dedicated to understanding the disciplines and skills related to early painting techniques (1) Painting with tempera egg and oil on wood panel. - Students will explore the painting techniques used by old masters in the 15th century .They will combine two mediums egg tempera and oil, integrating the virtues of both mediums into one painting. This unique combination gives to the painting a jewel like quality. Students will be carefully guided through the various stages . The classes will include learning to make egg tempera and mixing it with natural pigments, creating under painting with egg tempera (imprimatura) , followed by layers of grisaille and glazing.
Students’ work /Example of the working process in class :
Sandra Azer 1
Sandra Azer 2
Sandra Azer 3
Sandra Azer 4
Sandra Azer 5
Ahella El Nagar
Farah Barakat
Malak Shenouda
Malak Shenouda at work
6-Appropriation Project Students create individual appropriations of paintings they choose from art history using egg tempera/oil technique .
Maryam Azzawy
Sommayah El Alfy
Lamya Rady
Hana Zaki
Ghada Tawfik
7-Studying painting traditional techniques Classes dedicated to understanding the disciplines and skills related to early painting techniques (2) Brief introduction to miniature painting The working process introduced by the instructor is a mix of the Indian Pahari and Japanese traditional painting techniques . Students learn and practice ,the techniques of sizing paper with glue and alum , sketch /drawing transfer , applying “khadiva”/ “gofun” ,coloring with handmade watercolor (color pigments mixed with Arabic gum ) ,lining and burnishing
Ghada Tawfik at work
Mariam Azzawy
Farah Barakat
Mariam Hamdy
Mariam Hamdy at work
Lamya Rady
Lamya Rady
Dina Hamama
Class exercise by Mariam Azzawy
Hana Zaki
Somayah El Alfy
Final Project Creating and composing a work based on one theme that has to do with perceiving ,interpreting and visualizing one’s inner space this might include intimate surroundings , dreams ,memories ,incidents of daily life and emotional involvement at any given point you choose. Example of students work
Sandra Azir /Malak Shnouda (collaborated in a painting performance each painting the other for several days)
Statement
:
Many artists who painted portraits centuries ago were said to have reflected their own appearances on the canvas. Although painters might actually intend to depict another human being, unconsciously their own emotions or even features are said to often influence the painted figures. “It’s not about me, as the creator, but as the created made to reflect his creativity.” Sandra and Malak realized this pattern in their work and how both of them might be painting the same face, but the paintings end up looking like self-portraits rather than a copy of the original. This made them wonder what would happen if they painted each other. Would the end-product show the maker’s identity or the person being painted? Letting their friendship dictate their decisions they involved many materials in the painting and attached many different objects to the canvas, not only creating texture and layers but also reflecting a kind of mysterious knowledge they have about each other as well as memories they share. (Materials like candle wax, CDs, Stickers, Gold leaves, dantelle, tissues..etc.) They paintings’ base was water based, but was then painted entirely with oil paint. The process of creating a human face out of nothing, while staring at the other person and letting knowledge influence their views seemed like a very interesting process for them and they therefor decided to film the whole painting sitting at once to later observe and analyze the development of the work in relation to their presence in one room. This caused many technical struggles regarding the camera, the editing, importing and so on. The studio they started to paint in was not accessible anymore and the setting they had prepared for the video was removed by university staff, even though they were asked to not move and traces on the floors. Sandra and Malak had to record the process at home; leaving out the first part they had finished which is the preparation of the canvas and the rough sketch. This project was an experiment that served to teach Sandra and Malak, the Art students, how one’s emotions and impression/ prejudice of the subject matter might make the less subjective and rather paint something that does not fully represent reality. Features might be exaggerated or ignored, feelings might be evident in the painting that weren’t evident in reality and knowledge about the other person definitely gives depth to the artist, attaching to it a further enriching dimension.
Malak as perceived by Sandra
Lamya Rady A dress with many transparent layers of bubble wrap ..In between she painted something to express about her inner self .. The paintings becomes visible only with light coming from inside
Statement This piece aims to portray me in a phase in my life, where I felt empty, hollow, weak and in pain. It represent my journey into recovery. I have underdone 3 surgeries and they impacted me very much and has strengthened me as a person. The piece resembles memories from my past and the installation expresses the fear and the vulnerability I felt during that time. There were days were I did not know whether I’m going to survive or not. I had to fight through the pain and move on. This caused me to be depressed for almost two years with both physical and mental pain. Now that it is almost over I can look back and express that pain in my piece. There are layers of fabric. Each one represent one day filled with visual images in my head from the times of the hospital. Together they create a blurred and not understood images that one can interpret differently. The installation will last for few hours with light exposed under the piece to highlight the images as well as music.
Music: AngusDei Samuel Barber
Fabric material: Tulle, Chiffon Paint material: Gouache
Visual research David Spriggs and Xia Xiaowan 3D glass paintings
Anna sorokovaya
Sherifa Habib Sherifa scattered her pixilated portraits of favorite singers around the canvas letting people imagine a bit of their music as they pass by
Farah Barakat :
Donald duck comic strips painted in traditional miniature style with pigments and gum Arabic
Malak Helmy Used masking tape to create a rigid grid underneath a surface painted with extreme freedom
Rania Fayed created a series of interrelated shaped canvasses that narrate her daily Journey from home to AUC and Back again
Students Presentation
Photos from Field Trip to Adam Henien Museum and The Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre
Adam was extremely welcoming .. He opened up to the students and talked about his work and experiences . We was delighted to paint him a portrait which he received happily
In Ramsis Wisa Wasef School we were welcomed by the son.. He allowed us visit the workshops of local designers /weavers (students could interact with some of them who were working at the time .), enter the main museum that hosts the work of the school’s first generation . He explained everything in detail .
Along the course students developed several researches and a sketchbook ..the sketchbook included documentation of working process , technical notes , ideas and plans , sketches , critical notes on once development based on class critique…etc .In general a fine record of the course and the student’s achievements . The Following are pages from Malak Shenouda’s Sketchbook