Julie Heffernan Self Portrait Sitting On A World Essay

935 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Women as art subjects history

Julie Heffernan was born in 1956, in the city of Peoria, Illinois. Although Heffernan was born in Peoria, she was actually raised in San Francisco Bay Area. After spending most of her life in the bay area, she decided to branch out and go to school at the University of Columbia, where she graduated and received her BFA in Painting and Printmaking (Catherine Clark Gallery). After another four years, Heffernan was able to receive her Masters of Fine Art in Painting from the Yale School of Art, a major accomplishment in her life (Catherine Clark Gallery). Since Heffernan always displayed a grand interest in the artistic field, being able to accomplish a masters degree at an ivy league school demonstrated her true capacity. Once she received …show more content…

This painting consists of regular lines as well as implied lines. Some of the regular lines that have been included are flowing, curved lines, such as the Earth that the woman is sitting on top of. Additionally, the background is made of small scenes that have been outlined by a dotted line, which places emphasis on the scenes. Besides regular and visible lines, there are a few implied lines in this painting. For instance, the woman's eyes are looking forward, so there is an implied line to the audience. Additionally, another implied line would be the woman's right arm, which is pointed towards her headpiece, while her left arm is pointed towards the earth. Nonetheless, this painting is not intense; although it does have splashes of color, this painting does not have a bright saturation. Instead, this painting is slightly dull, which makes this painting appear vintage. Additionally, since this background is a dark color, it makes the rest of painting, especially the headpiece, stand out. Besides colors and lines, even though this is a painting and there is no physical texture, there is invented texture. Upon viewing this painting, underneath the earth where the woman is sitting on, there are roots as well as grass, which give texture and feeling to the painting. In the end, this painting consists of several elements of composition, …show more content…

What this means is that this woman has small breasts, some stomach fat, and legs and arms that are not defined. With this, it tells women to embrace themselves for who they truly are, and to remember that they are beautiful in their own natural manner. Additionally, the woman in this painting is sitting on top of a stretch of land that wraps around her body. This stretch of land is the earth, and it suggests that women are powerful and are essentially on top of this world. Although many woman have been degraded and looked down upon, this painting suggests to women around the world to be proud of who they are. Likewise, a website that agrees with this perspective, also suggests that the woman in this painting "exudes knowledge and power... the world is clearly a female construct" (Blouinartinfo.com). With this, it demonstrates that the world needs women, and without women the earth would not be the same, for women contribute intelligence and creative ideas. Additionally, this woman is wearing a headpiece filled with different shades of roses. These roses, each represent different aspects of a woman; red roses signify love and white roses represent purity. By wearing these flowers on her head, it demonstrates the values women be thinking about. In the end, this painting reflects women, and their importance to the

Show More
Related

  • Pieter Claesz's Still Life With A Quill

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    The texture of the paint is smooth and flows very nicely the paintings composition is primarily bundled into the bottom right half of the image. The wings and legs of the animals as well as and table help form an invisible sloping line across the painting.

    Read More

  • Visual Analysis Bouuerau

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    The visual elements in this painting are shape, color and light. The shapes and contours of the mother and child are life like.

    Read More

  • Art Formal Analysis

    604 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is a lot of repetition of the vertical lines of the forest in the background of the painting, these vertical lines draw the eye up into the clouds and the sky. These repeated vertical lines contrast harshly with a horizontal line that divides the canvas almost exactly in half. The background, upper portion of the canvas, is quite static and flat, whereas the foreground and middle ground of the painting have quite a lot of depth. This static effect is made up for in the immaculate amount of d...

    Read More

  • The Rape Of Lucretia Analysis

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    The artist’s use of line to create movement in the painting is very obvious. Lucretia’s body creates an implied diagonal line which shows action and movement. Additionally, the cloak is also very curvy, appearing “fanned out”, as if she is in the midst of backing away. As well, the curtains are implied curves, and the furniture is an implied diagonal. These lines leave the viewer wondering what will happen next. With these repeated curves and diagonals, the artist creates a sense of unity and rhythm, helping the viewer “read” the composition, or move their eyes through it. The dominant shape repeated in the composition is organic, which also adds unity to the piece. Evidently, there are no horizontal lines in the painting, but the subordinate columns bring variety to the painting in that they are both vertical and geometric, in addition to symbolizing power. Furthermore, the primary color red dominates, creating unity; it appears in Lucretia’s outfit, the furniture, and the curtains. Interestingly, red is the color of danger, since it is the color of blood, and therefore, death; it is also the first color noticed by the human eye. Her gown is also has some white, a neutral, which represents purity and surrender. The artist did not use a warm, nor a cool color scheme in the

    Read More

  • How Does Matisse Use Color In Decorative Figure On An Ornament Background

    845 Words  | 2 Pages

    The use of space, color, and line, create a painting that is able to be emotional yet available, intimate yet comfortable. The painting shows the human spirit in the way that is should be, without fear of judgement. Decorative Figure on an Ornamental Background depicts a woman, her lower body wrapped in a white sheet, sitting on the floor. The walls are covered in a very ornate floral pattern. The flowers are red and white, and there is a blue and brown pattern

    Read More

  • The Gare Saint-Lazare

    943 Words  | 2 Pages

    The many lines cause the eye of the viewer to move throughout the work. The railroad tracks that start at the bottom of the page pull the viewer to the background of the painting, where trains and tiny people mull about. The pillars holding up the roof bring the eyes up, and the scaffolding at the top draws you back, only to be pulled down again by the cascade of rising smoke. The station roof and rafters also create a frame for the picture, a darker area full of browns and blacks, that pushes the viewer to look at the seen below. The lines lend themselves to the space and perspective of this painting. The lines of the scaffolding give the roof depth, and the shadows inside give the bright exterior more

    Read More

  • Wayside Madonna

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    The painting is organized simply. The background of the painting is painted in an Impressionist style. The blurring of edges, however, starkly contrasts with the sharp and hard contours of the figure in the foreground. The female figure is very sharp and clear compared to the background. The background paint is thick compared to the thin lines used to paint the figures in the foreground. The thick paint adds to the reduction of detail for the background. The colors used to paint the foreground figures are vibrant, as opposed to the whitened colors of the Impressionist background. The painting is mostly comprised of cool colors but there is a range of dark and light colors. The light colors are predominantly in the background and the darker colors are in the foreground. The vivid color of the robe contrasts with the muted colors of the background, resulting in an emphasis of the robe color. This emphasis leads the viewer's gaze to the focal part of the painting: the figures in the foreground. The female and baby in the foreground take up most of the canvas. The background was not painted as the artist saw it, but rather the impression t...

    Read More

  • The Greek Goddess Hebe

    831 Words  | 2 Pages

    There various types of lines in this painting, curvilinear lines dominate. The curvilinear lines are found in the way the woman 's body is positioned, the eagles wing and claws, the way the woman’s clothing in draped, the leaves, and in the spout and the handle of the pitcher. Diagonal lines also are shown in this painting. These lines can be found in the woman’s arm that is exposed, the lines of sight from the woman to the eagle and the position in which the head of the eagle is. These two types of lines help convey a sense of movement, curvilinear lines are also very pleasing to the eye. Another type of line that is shown in the painting is horizontal line. This type of line is found in the design of the pillar that the eagle is standing on. This painting also includes an implied line. The type of implied line is line of sight, this line goes from the woman to the eagle. Then form the eagl to the arm of the women, which brings the

    Read More

  • Looking Up By Maya Eventov Essay

    252 Words  | 1 Pages

    At first glance your eyes are immediately pulled to the beautiful orange-red leaves at the top of the painting. Small pieces of blue poke through, making the leaves appear less dense. Five grey, thin trunks run up the painting forming a triangle shape. Behind the trunks is a beautiful mosaic of green, blue and yellow. If you look at the painting closely, it appears

    Read More

  • Self Portrait with Two Pupils by Adelaide Gabille Guiard

    782 Words  | 2 Pages

    Self-Portrait with Two Pupils, Marie Gabrielle Capet and Marie Marguerite Carreaux de Rosemond was done Adelaide Labille Guiard in 1785. It was done in Paris, France and the medium is oil on canvas. Adelaide Labille Guiard was born in 1749 and died in 1803. She was one of few to practice and master at miniatures, pastels and oil paintings. Due to male dominance in these practices, women were not accepted as pupils, due to society perception that women are not able to follow instructions as easily as men.

    Read More

  • Balthasar Klossowski De Rola's Painting The Mountain

    977 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is a mix of regular lines, implied lines, directional lines, contours lines, outline and expressive lines. Using regular lines to create movement and a restful moment in the painting. Balthus uses implied lines to create closure and openness to the painting by making it look like it looks continuous. Balthus uses directions lines drawing attention to the mountains and hills in the background and the activities done by the hikers. He uses Contour lines on the top of the mountains to show the tops of Poussins head. Balthus uses outlines o show the mountains and the hikers. He uses expressive line to show the calmness, happiness, tension and tiredness of the hikers and the mountain. He shows how peaceful the top of the mountains and the day is, he also shows show happy the hikers and are exploring their new environment and showing how weak and tired by having them rest and stretch to release the tension in their body and

    Read More

  • Vermeer's 3D Art Analysis

    608 Words  | 2 Pages

    Value and light are so important; they make up the 3D qualities of this painting. There are some areas in the painting that lighter than others. The use of light and dark in an art piece makes it look more real than ever. There is heavy shading on the left to keep the viewer's eyes focus into the middle of the painting. The window becomes one of the central themes of the picture, providing the portrait with light and luminosity. Her arms and face are flesh tones, the maid looks real and three dimensional because of this light effect. The pointillist pattern of bright dots on the bread and basket, Vermeer’s most effusive use of the scheme, suggests scintillating daylight and rough textures at the same time. Because the left area is near the window and behind the wall, it receives less daylight than the right side. This element makes the viewer think that this art is so real and close to our daily lives. The light gives the appearance of 3D qualities and has modeling to create a real visual than ever.

    Read More

  • Eleanor Of Toledo Analysis

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    From its physical characteristics, the form of its shape is three-dimensional constructed with organic and curvaceous stroke of lines. The composition of the painting has consistent patterns of triangular shape, such as from the top of her head to her shoulders and an hourglass pattern of her dress, which made the painting stable. Additionally, circular patterns are present as well like the colouring of the background, the accessories she’s wearing and the brown circular patches on her clothes. Including the attention to details, the dress itself steals the spotlight due to the scale of it and that it is directly at the center of the painting. The colours are split-complementary as it is consistent of having hues of blues, violets, and yellows accompanied by classic black and antique white for elegance as well a tiny bit of shaded red. Under those circumstances, the value of the painting is balanced because of the contrasting shades and tints being split open by Eleanor and the attention slides slowly to her son. With a subtle lighting, it highlighted the shiny and smooth texture of her clothing and her jewellery. In essence, the iconography of this painting revolves around the ideal look of the Renaissance with a mix of religious context as the colouring behind her head makes her look like she has a halo. Not only that, the connection between her and her son is portrayed minimally as her appearance overwhelms it greatly and there’s less physical interaction with one another, which is the total opposite of the artwork that been previously talked

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Saint Ignatius Of Loyola's Vision Of Christ And God

    931 Words  | 2 Pages

    The area at the bottom of the painting where St. Ignatius stands, is very dark. Earth tones, primarily different shades of black and brown, are used and there is a great amount of shading on the ground as well as on a wooden structure that is on the right of St. Ignatius. The ground which St. Ignatius neels on looks like it has texture due to the use of shading on the outer edges and using tints of brown on the mid area of the ground. He also outlines shapes on the ground to make the ground look like it has a bumpy/ rocky texture. He shades some of these shapes (rocks) to make them look 3D. The top of the painting depicts a heaven-like area and the color of the clouds turn from a dull, gray color to a bright yellow color. In contrast to St. Ignatius’ dark black robe, God, Jesus, and the angels, which are all in the top half of the painting in Heaven, wear bright colored robes. In addition, the bright yellow clouds show depth as one can see a multitude of faces hidden in the clouds. The clouds seem to depict a tunnel, as the faces get more miniscule and less detailed at the top edge of the painting. Being a two dimensional painting, Domenichino uses perspective and shading around the big circle of light in the sky to make it look like it has depth. The intensity of the yellow color increases.

    Read More

  • A Visual Analysis Essay

    848 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this painting, the eye is immediately drawn to the woman’s face in the center. Her face is framed with a red bonnet, and her brown hair extends underneath. She is in the arms of a man, whose eyes are covered by his hat. Her eyes are aimed downward, and she is smiling very softly. They are dancing, him pulling her close while leaning his face closer to hers. She is wearing a light pink dress, with sleeves down to her elbow and the skirt of the dress down to the ground. He is wearing a dark blue, navy suit with a tan hat and shoes. The only part of his face that is visible is his beard, and the viewer can tell his eyes are locked on her. They are twirling around outside, and the rest of the painting is blurred to illustrate that. Behind them are people sitting at a table talking, with cups on the table. The trees are a nice shade of green, and there are a lot of blues in the background. This allows the woman to be the center of attention, as well as a pop of color in her pink and red.

    Read More

More about Julie Heffernan Self Portrait Sitting On A World Essay

Open Document