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sugarysweetsprites · 5 years ago

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ALL THIRTY OF MY ENTRIES FOR FAKEATHON 2020 COMPILED BELOW THE CUT

ROUND 1: HOMETOWN MONUMONK - Derived from monument, monk

did you know I like maybe four miles away from a field of 109 identical 7 foot corn statues

FAKEATHON ROUND 2: THE USA ROBINOX - Derived from robin, autumnal equinox

Round one was our hometown, and I did my current city. But my childhood belongs to Connecticut, so I wanted to do a connecticuter. The american robin is the state bird of Connecticut, and as a part of New England it has a colonial history, hence the style. A type of garnet is the state gemstone, hence the species name.

Mostly though, I associate Connecticut with the vibrant autumns. The falls of New England are magic.

FAKEATHON DAY 3: CANADA CURTLE - Derived from curling, turtle

Very simple this one. Canada has a lot of curling events, right? Put the CURLING STONE. On the TURTLE. and you get the CURTLE. Dudes in this other server I’m in really love this one

FAKEATHON DAY 4: MEXICO CASOLURO - Derived from first two letters of the cards it’s based on; el CAtrin, el SOl, la LUna, la ROsa

A very fun one to work on. These are based on those Loteria cards - Specifically, the sun, moon, rose, and the dandy. The 4x4 grid on the inside of its cape is a reference to the 4x4 grid of a loteria play mat. Just threw crap at the wall here and got this funky friend.

FAKEATHON DAY 5: BRAZIL CAPYERA, CAPOBARA - Derived from capoeira, capybara

Not new designs, so much as designs I really needed to give another go. Much happier with these. And frankly, couldn’t think of a concept more wholly Brazilian short of slapping the flag on them.

FAKEATHON DAY 6: FRANCE CHÈVAÇAY - Derived from chèvre (French for goat), Chevalier (French for knight), valençay (French variety of cheese)

F🥐R🎨A🍷N🚬C🥖H

I stole the grease type from someone in that fakemon server it fit this cheesy boy too well

FAKEATHON DAY 7: SPAIN POMEGRIA - Derived from pomegranate, bandurria

Typically tried to avoid the lady-in-dress motif, but felt too justified here. Spain is home to pomegranates, with the blossom being the national flower. The body shape was inspired by the instrument the bandurria, with the base of the body being a halved pomegranate, and her “earrings” being both the tuning pegs and pomegranate seeds.

FAKEATHON DAY 8: UNITED KINGDOM MEMORI - Derived from memento mori, memory

I could’ve uh. Had this idea at a better time huh :^)

FAKEATHON DAY 9: ITALY MEDITIVE - Derived from Mediterranean, olive

Tried going more off-the-wall, but it didn’t quite work. Based on olive branches clearly - olive oil was often used as lamp oil, hence the fire typing. I meant for it to resemble a nuns habit or monastery robes, a la Italy’s heavy catholicism, with the floating olive leaf circlet as a halo. It was… good ideas that didn’t come together perfectly. Probably my least favorite of the lot

FAKEATHON DAY 10: NORDICS MINKJAVIC - Derived from mink, Reykjavik

Look when I think Iceland I always think black metal. This is the second time I’ve done a heavy metal pokemon. The first one was more badass. This one’s instead uh A lot : )

FAKEATHON DAY 11: EGYPT DJEDLY - Derived from Djed, deadly

One of the easiest to draw for… obvious reasons. Based on a canopic jar, sort of like an off-brand yamask or cofagrigus. It’s meant to open up twice; If you take off the lid, you see the fleshy eyeball dude in the lower corner. And if you pull that like a handle, you see what’s inside… and die with that knowledge : )

FAKEATHON DAY 12: ETHIOPIA CAFFIEND - Derived from caffeine, fiend

Obviously hyenas live in Ethiopa. But moreover, Ethiopia is also known as pretty much the birthplace of coffee, and coffee drinking/making is important to the culture. So I thought, why not make a hyena that’s super happy cause it’s always super hyped up on caffeine? Dunno if the electric typing makes much sense, I just thought caffeine = energy = electricity

FAKEATHON DAY 13: MADAGASCAR TENROCK - Derived from tenrec, rock

Tenrecs are endemic, yeah, but this wasn’t just based on a native animal. It was based on the land of Madagascar - specifically, the gorgeous and incredibly sharp structures of Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. I’ll post a photo above the art, when I saw Madagascar was a theme day I knew I had to base something on that park.

FAKEATHON DAY 14: SAUDI ARABIA MASQAREEN - Derived from masquerade, Qareen

This is based on the Islamic idea of the Qareen. People don’t 100% agree on what Qareens are, but they are consistantly considered to be spiritual doubles - Every person has a Qareen associated with they’re spirit. This is based on one idea, them as dark spirits who attempt to lead their companion-spirit astray. I chose them because even though they’re evil from the start - hence the dark typing - they can become good based on their companion - in this case, trainer’s - actions and whims.

Since they’re counterparts to humans, I thought having them mimic humans would be fitting. It’s body is ALMOST humanoid, it’s many pink extremeties ALMOST resemble clothes. It would be a zoroark like situation, where it could make illusions to resemble human.

FAKEATHON DAY 15: RUSSIA MATEESHKA - Derived from mastryoshka, tea SAMOSHKA - Derived from samovar, matryoshka

Fun fact, I actually used to collect matryoshka dolls. Have a whole box of them in the basement somewhere. So I felt I had to. I have a thing for designs that look a little snobby, Samoshka certainly fits that little niche of mine : D

FAKEATHON DAY 16: INDIA BOVIQUIN - Derived from bovine, palanquin

I like ride pokemon, and I like customizable pokemon. So I made one that’s both! It’s supposed to be based on the water buffalo. The simple colors are because it’s supposed to be customizable - As in, the fabrics hung from it (and maybe the markings painted on it) could be swapped out, so I wanted something simple as a base. Sort of like Furfrou, but the customization doesn’t wear off

FAKEATHON DAY 17: CHINA LONGRUSH - Derived from Long (chinese for dragon), brush, rush

I expect here will be a lot of chinese dragons this round, I wanted to avoid the obvious. But… this is one of the best concepts I’ve ever come up with. The second I had the mental image, I knew that was it

FAKEATHON DAY 18: JAPAN SPIROUS - Derived from spirit, cirrus, pious

This is a myth from both China and Japan, but I associate it with yokai primarily. This is based on Hangonkō, incense that brings forth the spirits of the dead. Hence it’s body obscured by the clouds - It’s literally being summoned by the incense it carries. In retrospect, this could have been an interesting pokeball mimic with different colors.

FAKEATHON DAY 19: INDONESIA WHALEEN - Derived from baleen whale

The Philippines are home to the coral triangle, a stretch of ocean that’s home to a stupidly large amount of coral life. So I initially wanted a coral mon… but it’s known for its reefs. So why not make the whole reef?

FAKEATHON DAY 20: AUSTRALIA OPALINE - Derived from opal, mine

One town in Australia I’ve loved since middle school is Coober Pedy. Known as the opal capital of the world, it’s a desert town that’s so hot, almost all the residents live in houses carved into the ground. Even many businesses and hotels are underground! Coloring was fun on this dude :3

FAKEATHON DAY 21: ANTARCTICA SOUTHAIR - derived from south, hairgrass.

I wanted to do something unexpected. So rather than do that obvious penguin or similar, I went with southern hairgrass, the south most flowering plant. Did it’s closer meant to loosely resemble any wet clothes, but since there are no Inuit populations to Antarctica, only loosely. It’s species, the 1000-to-1 pokemon, Refers to both its chances of survival and the fact of the body is comprised of many many blades of grass

FAKEATHON DAY 22: SOMEWHERE HOT - DEATH VALLEY HELINDRA - Derived from helios, indra

The reason I chose the Indra butterfly is because it's native to death valley. I figure, if death valley gets HELLA sun, why not instead of it living in spite of the harsh sun, living so well because of it?

FAKEATHON DAY 23: SOMEWHERE COLD - GREENLAND STUFFIN - Derived from storm, stun, puffin

I know there are myths that say puffins can bring thunderstorms, so I thought why not turn a puffin into a storm cloud? But uh. It kind of just. Is a puffin isn't it :/

FAKEATHON DAY 24: ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS KYTHURA - Derived from Antikythera, Urania

One of my favorite remnants of ancient times is the Antikythera Mechanism. It was an ancient Greek computer. With proper gears and mechanics and everything, that was used to plot the locations of the planets and the stars in stunning detail. This first go around turned out… not that great, I’ll be honest. But I wanna do something with the Antikythera Mechanism. It shouldn’t take TOO much tweaking to make this something I love

FAKEATHON DAY 25: FUTURE WORLDS COCOWATT - Derived from coconut, watt

One of my favorite images of the future is, instead of all streets having street lights, some having bioluminescent trees! I wanted to make something to that effect. Even though we have Exeggutor I chose palm trees cause they already have a street-lamp-like shape. Finally got to bust out my super neon pencils :3

FAKEATHON DAY 26: RANDOM COUNTRY - IRELAND AMANEELIE - Derived from amanita, unseelie

I have irish blood, so I wanted to do an irish mon. I took the idea of the fairie ring in a weird direction - when it extends its arms and the little purple "hands" touch, anything in the loop of its arm - the fairie's ring - will become hideously poisoned. Visually referenced the deathcap. Just like imagining these things in a secluded dense forest, floating along like swimming jellyfish

FAKEATHON DAY 27: THE OLYMPICS SYNCRA - Derived from synchronized, tetra

This is similar to wishiwashi, in that it's a schooling mon. But instead of it having a schooling form, it's ALWAYS in a school of five fish, constantly swimming in unison. Clearly based on synchronized swimming, I wanted the tails to be super long, so they'd flow all elegantly when they maneuver around. Kinda... power rangers in execution, innit

FAKEATHON DAY 28: THE OCEAN EXPLORB - Derived from explore, orb

The idea to turn the bathysphere into a pufferfish-like dude just came together really clearly in my head. I imagine their attack would be terrible but their defence would be amazing - basically, they aren't out to fight, they just wanna explore the oceans :3

FAKEATHON DAY 29: THE MOON MOOMOON - Derived from moomoo, moon

its the cow that jumped over the moon

FAKEATHON DAY 30: LEGENDARY CORRA - Derived from core, cor (latin for heart), terra

I figured, we’ve done every part of the earth this challenge… except the interior. So for the legendary representing the world, I based mine on the core of the earth. The body itself is meant to resemble the phylotypic stage of an embryo - the stage of development where most species are virtually identical. It cannot leave its lava bubble. At the center of its body is a heart glowing with all the colors of magma.

The FIRST person to make a legend of korra joke is getting slapped

#fakemon #fakeathon #fakeathon2020 #pokemon #My Art #Non Spritework

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barbaraheidenreich · 5 years ago

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New podcast episode! Have you ever asked the question………”How can I become a professional animal trainer?” My special guest Gary Wilson is here to help. Not only is Gary a professor at the Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) Program at Moorpark College, he is a graduate of the program and has been deeply involved in its growth and development over the years. For those of you already in the field, you are going to enjoy getting to know the history on how the training industry has evolved, especially in southern California. I definitely discovered some stories relevant to my own journey! Hear what it's like to be an EATM student, what animals they get to train, learn about some famous alumni, get the details on a certain viral video featuring a jugular blood draw from a hyena and find out how you might have a chance to join this outstanding program. I also answer a follow up question on showing food when training a recall behavior and whether to use intermittent schedules of reinforcement. Visit the episode page to listen and for the hyena video and link to a live-stream mentioned in the podcast. Link in bio @barbara_heidenreich or here https://animaltrainingfundamentals.com/podcasts/gary-wilson-eatm/ #howtobecomeananimaltrainer #becomeananimaltrainer #EATMcollege #moorparkcollege #garywilson #exoticanimaltraining #americasteachingzoo #howtobeatrainer #historyofanimaltraining #animaltrainingpodcast #animamltrainingfundamentals #barbaraheidenreich #Iwanttobeananimaltrainer #trainanimals #howtotrainanimals #animaltrainingcareer #animaltrainingschool #animaltrainingcollege https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-wIZ3Fqzc/?igshid=3yt3r86lenjx

#howtobecomeananimaltrainer #becomeananimaltrainer #eatmcollege #moorparkcollege #garywilson #exoticanimaltraining #americasteachingzoo #howtobeatrainer #historyofanimaltraining #animaltrainingpodcast #animamltrainingfundamentals #barbaraheidenreich #iwanttobeananimaltrainer #trainanimals #howtotrainanimals #animaltrainingcareer #animaltrainingschool #animaltrainingcollege

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ourloveisforthelovely · 7 years ago

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Being Human 3

A/n: no warnings for this chapter

Words: 2,422

Link to Chapter 2

Pairings: Gabriel x ofc.

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Andi woke up a few weeks later with Gabriel’s arms wrapped around her. The memories of the previous night came back full force. After making love a few times they had passed out around 1 am. It had been pretty much the same routine for weeks. Andi turned slightly to look at Gabriel. He was still snuggled against the counter and looked completely peaceful. She smiled resisting the urge to lean forward and press a kiss to his cheek. Not wanting to wake Gabriel, Andi slowly slipped out of the bed and pulled on some abandoned leggings and a loose t shirt.

Walking toward the kitchen she froze the moment the sight of Sam and Dean walking in made her freeze.

“Sissy, we are home!”

Dean said cheerfully. Andi blinked nervously before looking back toward her room. This was totally not the way that she wanted to explain to her brothers that she was now seeing an archangel. This was the way to get Gabriel killed. She could only hope that when he woke up he put his pants on.

“I see. I thought you all weren’t going to be home for a bit.”

Sam shrugged as he walked to the refrigerator for a bottle of water.

“We warped things up quick. We were feeling bad about leaving you for so long.”

Andi chuckled as she twirled a strand of her brown hair around her finger.

“Awe shucks guys. That is so sweet but really I am just fine on my own. I was categorizing my rock collection and working on research that you asked for. I was cool.”

Dean frowned.

“Rock collection? How old are you Andi? Better yet what are you up to?”

Andi gaped at her older brother.

“What are you talking about?”

Sam chuckled.

“You are getting all nervous and stuttering. Come on Andi what is going on?”

Dean took out a beer looking at his sister with a smile.

“Got a guy in your room or something?”

Andi laughed but stopped mid giggle as she judged her brother’s moods for reactions.

“Uh yeah actually I do. That is what I want to talk to you two about before you get all irrational and go for blood like a heard of wild vikings.”

Both of her brother’s faces went from amused to livid in 2 seconds flat. Dean put his drink down and shot up from his seat.

“What the fuck Andi? Who the hell is he? I’m gonna kill him!”

Sam looked over at Dean.

“Dean, calm down.”

Dean glared over at Sam.

“Sammy some dude has been in there feeling up our sister! Do you really want to have this conversation right now?

Sam sighed.

“Yeah Dean actually I do. Andi is plenty old enough to have a relationship with someone. We can’t control everything that she does. Andi do we know him?”

Andi groaned putting her hand on her face. This was going down hill way too fast!

“Yeah, you do know him and before you both hit the ceiling I want you to listen to me. I am really wanting to see where this goes with this guy and it isn’t going to be up to you to tell me what I can and can’t do. I get that you two are protective especially after what happened to Adam but I want you to respect my decision.”

Sam and Dean exchanged looks before looking back to their little sister. Dean crossed his arms.

“Who is it?”

Andi took a breath.

“I’ve been seeing Gabriel.”

Both Sam and Dean started laughing like a heard of hyenas. When Andi didn’t start laughing they both went serious. Sam looked at his sister closely.

“Like the archangel Gabriel?”

Andi nodded.

“That’s the other thing….he’s kind of human.”

Dean scoffed.

“Yeah. This is the craziest thing I have ever heard in my life.”

“Well she is telling you the truth.”

All three of the Winchester’s turned to see Gabriel standing in the doorway. Both Sam and Dean looked completely shocked.

“Gabriel.”

Sam managed to get his name out clearly almost shocked. Dean however, was livid.

“You touch our sister? You better be a freaking archangel because I am going to kill you!”

Gabriel looked around nervously clearly plotting what his next move would be.

“Bring it big boy.”

Gabriel said coldly as Andi quickly walked to him wrapping her arms around his waist. Dean looked sick at the sight of his baby sister in the archangel’s arms.

“I have got to be imagining all of this. Andi this is a big hell to the fuck no!”

Dean said coldly. Andi frowned trying to keep Gabriel from going after Dean. It didn’t take common sense to know the two beating the crap out of each other wasn’t going to end pretty for anyone!

“Dean it isn’t your decision to make. I want you to respect my choices or I can leave.”

Sam quickly stood holding his hands up.

“All right! Whoa! Lets just stop right now! All of us just needs to calm down! Dean we just agreed to go with her on this.”

Dean looked if possible angrier.

“That was before I figured out who the hell she was dating!”

Sam groaned.

“Dean, Gabriel has believe it or not done a lot for us. Minus all of the tricks, killing you, and driving me up the fall he did get us away from Lucifer by sacrificing himself. If anyone would be a good match for Andi he would be a good match. He can also smite anyone that tries anything.”

Gabriel chuckled at that.

“Yeah, about that….I am kind of missing my archangel juice at the moment.”

Dean raised an eyebrow.

“So you are just a lowly mortal like us?”

Gabriel nodded.

“What part of I have lost my archangel mojo escapes your understanding?”

Dean rolled his eyes making a mental note to rib Cas about his and Gabriel really being brother later.

“So you decided to come down here and hook up with our sister?”

Andi held her hand up having enough of the stupid conversation at hand. She knew that Dean was just being her protective brother but she had enough.

“Dean, I am dating Gabriel now and that is that. You three will have to learn to get along. Come on Gabriel. I’m ready for another nap.”

Gabriel gave the Winchester brother’s a smirk before turning and following Andi back to her bedroom. Shutting the door he watched as Andi began to remove her plaid shirt while mumbling to herself.

“So was that the worst of it sugar?”

Andi turned looking back to Gabriel who was looking at her with a frown. She shrugged.

“They aren’t going to be happy for a while but I don’t really give a damn.”

Gabriel shrugged as he undid his shirt joining her in bed.

The following few months was interesting to say the least. Dean still muttered words of disapproval anytime he saw Gabriel and Andi together. If they were cuddling on the couch or even just in the room together he would make comments. Sam meanwhile, was trying his best to get used to seeing his sister with Gabriel.

One morning Luna woke up earlier than normal and padded into the kitchen. Turning on the coffee pot while yawning she almost screamed when she noticed Lucifer sitting at the table.

“Lucifer what are you doing here?”

She asked looking around for Sam and plotting a way to get Satan out of the bunker. Lucifer rolled his eyes.

“Sheesh kid I have no interest in Sam anymore. I am here because I heard some things about my wee little brother’s condition and I am here to fix him.”

Andi frowned.

“You’re here to fix Gabriel? Like turn him back into an angel?”

Lucifer nodded. Andi looked down. Lucifer meanwhile, grinned innocently.

“I take it you like human Gabriel.”

Andi looked up focusing her green eyes on the angel in front of her.

“Well yes I do. I don’t think he will want me if he’s an angel and I’m a human.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes making a gagging motion.

“Oh save me the chick flick moments! If it was me that would be a no. I don’t do humans. Gabriel on the other hand, has a fondness with humans that I for one don’t understand. You see nice enough. You have some good snarky side that I personally enjoy so I can live with you. You aren’t annoying, except for right now, so if you want my brother I can bet you money he will stay with you.”

Andi gave Lucifer a glare before going back to her coffee.

“Can I offer you coffee or will that turn you into super Satan mode where I don’t like you even more than I already do?”

Lucifer chuckled.

“Ah girly you are amusing. However, you may want to stop drinking that coffee or switch to decaff one. Caffeine is bad for babies.”

Andi rolled her eyes.

“I am not a baby doofus.”

Lucifer stood walking into the kitchen and inconstantly started stroking his finger over his top lip.

“Yeah but that baby inside of you is.”

Andi put down her cup. Her eyes widened as she turned back to the man beside her.

“What are you saying Lucifer?”

Lucifer groaned.

“Do I have to draw you a damn picture child? Ok, lets go over this, when a daddy and a mommy love each other very much and there is enough tequila sexy things happen and 9 months later a bundle of joy shows up.”

Andi’s mouth dropped even further.

“I’m pregnant?”

Lucifer grinned, nodding his head like an excited child.

“Well look at you! You are finally catching on! I’m guessing Gabriel doesn’t know.”

Andi shook her head.

“No you gigantic creep I didn’t even know!”

Lucifer sighed as he guided Andi to the table sitting her down. He walked back to the kitchen taking out some milk and pouring it into a glass. Lucifer came back to Andi handing her the glass with a smug.

“I care about my nephew.”

Andi put her head in her hand.

“How the hell did this happen? I’m on birth control? Yeah Gabriel and I have been fucking like bunnies but he’s human.”

Lucifer looked at Andi with a smirk.

“Ok honey bunch let me tell you a thing. My brother, Raphael, isn’t the smartest creature in the universe. When he took Gabriel’s grace he didn’t take all of it. So when you all were getting nasty his boys are more powerful than that birth control you are on. Congratulations archangel baby coming up. Due….how the hell do I know?”

Andi put a hand on her head as she got up and started to pace.

“This is bad Luci. This is really bad!”

Lucifer tilted his head to the side.

“Uh how? This is actually pretty cool. This kid could be a total weapon to use against my other stupid brothers. Its a gift.”

Andi glared at Lucifer.

“You will not be using my child as a weapon and you know Gabriel won’t let you.”

She turned storming back to her bedroom slamming the door. Gabriel who had been slowly waking up looked up quickly.

“Whoa sugar too early for all the door slamming. What has your brother done now?”

Andi looked at her boyfriend carefully.

“It wasn’t my brother but yours.”

Gabriel quickly stood.

“Which one?”

Andi walked closer to Gabriel sealing the gap between the two.

“Lucifer is sitting in the kitchen making tea.”

Gabriel turned to face the door before looking back to his lover.

“What did he want?”

Andi sighed before beginning to twirl a strand of her hair around her finger.

“Well Gabriel, he came to turn you back into an angel. So I guess that means you will be checking out and getting with another non human.”

Gabriel frowned harder looking at the woman in front of I him. Was she really that blind to see that he loved her more than he had anyone else in existence?

“Um no. I kind of thought we had a thing going on here. Typically when I say I love you it isn’t done lightly. I’m with you Andi.”

Gabriel leaned forward pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. Andi sighed happily before the seriousness of the situation came back to her.

“That’s good Gabe because we have a really big problem.”

Gabriel tilted his head still smiling.

“So what is the problem peach?”

Andi took a breath.

“I’m pregnant Gabriel.”

Gabriel’s happy smiled immediately faded as he looked down to Andi’s flat stomach.

“What? How?”

Andi sighed, as she sat down on the bed.

“Lucifer sensed it. Apparently Raphael isn’t the powerful super mutant ninja angel that he thinks he is when he took your grace away he didn’t really get all of it. Your boys were still at archangel strength and went right through the pills I take. Congratulations daddy.”

Gabriel didn’t move as he was obviously trying to justify everything in his mind as to what was happening. Andi gave Gabriel a few moments to take everything in before speaking.

“What are we going to do Gabriel? You know once that your brothers and the just angels find out about this we will be target number one. Maybe not you but the baby and I will be the first person that they will want to take out. Half breeds aren’t thought of highly and with you being an archangel…”

Gabriel reached out pulling Andi back into his arms.

“Clearly we weren’t expecting this but you think I am going to let someone hurt you or the baby? We are having a little half angel half human baby….oh my dad!”

Andi smiled as the full force of the conversation finally hit Gabriel.

“Welcome to the conversation love. Now we should really go get Lucifer to turn you back into yourself and probably tell my brothers.”

Gabriel nodded unable to speak for the first time in a long time.

___________

@greenappleeyes

@tas898

@jannalionheart

@sherala007

#supernatural fanfiction #Gabriel x OFC #gabriel au #Gabriel the Trickster #GABRIEL THE ARCHANGEL #dean winchester #Sam Winchester #lucifer #spn fanfic

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caveartfair · 6 years ago

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The Painting Techniques of 5 Famous Artists, from Botticelli to Vermeer

The Allegory of Painting, ca. 1666. Johannes Vermeer Museum of Fine Art, Vienna

In her new book Painting Masterclass: Creative Techniques of 100 Great Artists, author Susie Hodge investigates the artistic processes behind celebrated paintings of art history. Looking at such famous works as Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas (ca. 1656) and Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665), Hodge examines the techniques behind these works and the lessons their makers can still teach us today. Below, we share excerpts, delving into the works of five iconic artists.

Leonora Carrington

And then we saw the daughter of the minotaur, 2011. Leonora Carrington La Siempre Habana

In tight white jodhpurs and a cloud of brown hair, Leonora Carrington sits on a small blue chair in the centre of a room, wearing a short green jacket and looking directly at viewers. At the time she painted this, she was twenty years old and living with the Surrealist painter Max Ernst (1891–1976), who was twenty-six years her senior and already established in the art world. Sometimes entitled The Inn of the Dawn Horse, this painting was largely unknown until 1976, when two retrospectives of Carrington’s work were held in New York City and Austin.

Passionately sympathetic towards animals, Carrington often used the hyena to represent herself in her art and writing, as shown in this painting, where she extends her hand towards a female hyena, who imitates her posture and gesture. She also used horses—especially white ones—as embodiments of herself, and here in the background, a white horse gallops in a forest, while a white rocking horse in a similar position seems to be floating on the wall behind her. The tiled floor appears almost like a squared-up painting. This painting seems to represent the grandeur of her aristocratic upbringing (regal-looking gold curtains and throne-like chair) and the break she made with her family when she was conducting her affair with Ernst, of which they didn’t approve (he was married, but he and Carrington lived together in France).

Distorted perspectives, strange juxtapositions and symbolism—depicting her parents’ wealthy world, childhood memories and, of course, her grownup, artist self—are Carrington’s attempt to explain her life experiences and explore her own identity. Her painting style remained more or less the same throughout her life: she created dreamlike, detailed compositions featuring fantastic creatures in supernatural environments, which she painted with meticulous brush marks and fluid paint, carefully considering every mark, line and colour—which explains why her output was quite limited.

Space

In 1937, Carrington began painting this image in Paris. It was her first major self-portrait and features many of the themes she explored in later paintings, including women with wild hair, animals symbolizing her, but also representing freedom and sexuality, and all set in an equivocal interior space created with distorted perspectives. Overall, the painting is in dramatic one point perspective, that converges towards a single vanishing point on the horizon line (as seen left). One-point perspective is usually appropriate when the subject is viewed from directly in front of it.

Johannes Vermeer

Girl with a Pearl Earring, ca. 1665. Johannes Vermeer Mauritshuis, The Hague

Originally called The Girl with a Turban, this painting is probably a tronie: a character portrait created as a reference for other paintings—although not all tronies were then used in other works, as seems to have been the case here. The model may have been Vermeer’s daughter Maria (ca. 1654–after 1713) or the daughter of his patron, Magdalena van Ruijven (1655–82), but her identity is almost irrelevant as the painting is generally seen as a study in facial expression and exotic costume rather than a portrait. The plain dark background helps to visually project the girl’s head forward, and concentrate the focus on her blue and gold turban, the huge pearl earring and the gold jacket with stark white collar. Unlike many of Vermeer’s subjects, she is not busy, but seemingly caught in a fleeting moment, turning her head to look over her shoulder at viewers. Her eyes are wide open and her lips slightly parted, as if she is about to speak.

Like many artists of the Dutch Golden Age, Vermeer was fascinated by the depiction of light, and this work demonstrates his technical proficiency in capturing the radiant effects of light on various fabrics, the girl’s face and the large pearl earring that reflects light on to her cheek. He creates highlights with touches of opaque white paint on the collar, in her eyes and on her lips, while half-tones and deep shadows are progressively translucent. Vermeer usually painted images of fashionable figures in interiors, using a meticulous, precise style, and he was greatly admired locally, although he worked so slowly and carefully that, as far as is known, he produced only thirty-six paintings. To create this work, he used dexterous brush marks, alternate warm and cool flesh colours, and a broad range of tonal contrasts and expensive pigments. For instance, the blue turban was made from costly ultramarine, which was extracted from the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli.

Tone

This painting was so carefully planned and painted, it might seem surprising to know that Vermeer modelled some of his tones using the alla prima method; in other areas, he built up layers of thin glazes. Pearls can be depicted with a simple circle, then a dark arc on the edge opposite the light, and a medium arc around the white blob of brilliant white to convey highlight. Try different methods, but remember that the tonal contrasts are soft. If you create hard transitions, you will convey a shine that is more brilliant than pearlescent.

Light and Form

The camera obscura began to be used by artists in the 16th century. It consisted of a darkened box or room containing lenses and mirrors that projected an image from which detailed drawings could be traced. It is known that Vermeer was familiar with it, but not whether he used one. His renderings of light and form are extremely lifelike, with a great range of tones, highlights and halftones. The latter, also known as transitional tones, lie between light and shadow: where illumination and darkness meet and blend.

Berthe Morisot

Le Berceau (The Cradle), 1872. Berthe Morisot Musée d'Orsay

This is a celebration by Berthe Morisot of her sister Edma with her new baby, Blanche. Tenderly watching her sleeping daughter, Edma draws the translucent curtain around the cradle; her left arm is bent, which echoes the position of the baby’s arm beneath the voile canopy. The composition is cropped—the edges of the cradle are cut off at the sides, creating a sense of closeness—and forms a series of diagonal lines (from Edma’s head to her baby’s, the bent arms and the voile canopies, both over the cradle and behind Edma) which add to the impression that mother and daughter are in their own intimate, protected world.

Morisot displayed this painting at the first Impressionist exhibition of 1874 and although many of the works there by other artists were prominently derided, this was more or less ignored. However, one critic noted its “grace and elegance.” Yet, Morisot could never sell it.

Using the short, sketchy brush marks that became one of the hallmarks of Impressionism, diffused light shimmers across the image. There are no jarring colours to draw the attention away from the main figures, which adds to the sense of peace. In the main, black and white are used in a sort of pattern across the composition: the white in the cradle, the baby’s clothing, the lace on Edma’s clothing and the voile curtains is balanced by Edma’s dark dress, her dark hair, the black choker she is wearing and the background wall. It is the first example of Morisot’s treatment of the theme of motherhood which, because of social limitations, was one of the few artistic subjects she could explore as a woman.

Space

Morisot’s composition here relies on two interlocking triangles—one encompassing the visible part of Edma’s body and the other, slightly taller, formed with the veil—that create a balanced composition which visually links mother and baby harmoniously. When you are deciding on a composition, try to link the space with some sort of invisible or implied shapes, as it will help viewers to negotiate the elements within your painting.

Diego Velázquez

Las Meninas, 1656. Diego Velázquez Museo Nacional del Prado

Five years before he painted this, Diego Velázquez had returned from a two-year visit to Italy, where he had studied the art of the High Renaissance artists up close. Breaking all precedents of European art, he painted this portrait of the Spanish royal family by capturing an intimate and relaxed moment in time, when stiff etiquette was usually adhered to. The little five-year-old child is the Infanta Margarita (1651–73), who is dressed in the ornate costume expected of a Spanish princess; she is the daughter of Philip IV of Spain and his second wife, Mariana of Austria (1634–96).

Velázquez used strong chiaroscuro to make the main figures seem prominent. Bathed in clear light, Margarita’s blonde hair and face almost glow; she is the focal point of the painting as she stands with her ladies-in-waiting (meninas) in Velázquez’s studio. One kneels before her, offering her a drink from a red terracotta jug (bucaro) on a golden tray, while the other seems about to curtsey to her.

Two light sources illuminate the picture: one comes from an unseen window on the right-hand side and the other is the doorway in the centre, at the back. To the side, the small court jester is trying to rouse the dozing pet mastiff with a gentle touch of his foot, and behind the group, the Infanta’s chaperone is talking to a bodyguard. At the vanishing point of the picture, Don José Nieto Velázquez (no relation)—the Queen’s chamberlain and head of the royal tapestry works—pauses at a doorway at the back of the room. Light floods in where he holds open a curtain, and nearby, reflected in a mirror, are tiny images of the king and queen themselves. Behind the huge canvas is the only known self-portrait of Velázquez, who is holding a brush and palette—boldly situated within the royal family.

Composition

Las Meninas is arranged on a grid. It is also a straightforward image in one-point perspective. At the vanishing point is Don José Nieto Velázquez in a doorway. Basically, nine figures form a line inside a cube, with the king’s and queen’s reflections making eleven. All occupy only the lower half of the canvas, where the focal area is (to the left-hand side), including around the Infanta. The activity in the bottom half of the composition is compensated for and balanced by the empty top half.

Sandro Botticelli

The Birth of Venus, ca. 1486 . Sandro Botticelli Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Sandro Botticelli was the first artist since the time of the ancient Romans to depict large-scale mythologies, and this is one of the first paintings on canvas created in Tuscany. It tells the story of Venus that derives from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and a poem by the scholar and poet Angelo Poliziano (1454–94).

In what may have been a posthumous portrait of Botticelli’s muse Simonetta Vespucci (1453–76), who had died at just twenty-two, with her long neck, pale skin and flowing golden hair, Venus conveys the 15th-century Italian ideal of female beauty. Representing the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility, she stands on a giant scallop shell, as pure and perfect as a pearl. According to the myth, Venus emerged fully-formed from the sea and was met by a young woman, who is sometimes identified as one of the Graces or as the Hora of spring, holding out a cloak covered in flowers. The roses symbolize Venus and are also a reminder of spring. Two figures blow Venus to the shore: Zephyr, the Greek god of the west wind, holding the nymph Chloris—although this might be Aura, the goddess of the breeze—who according to mythology is abducted by him and turned into Flora, the goddess of flowers and spring.

Botticelli applied thin layers of tempera and scumbled the top ones so that some of his previous paint layers would show through. He used the tip of his paintbrush like a pen to subtly outline his figures. He was attempting to meet the ideals of ancient Greek and Roman art, which set a precedent for the entire Renaissance period. Botticelli was perfecting the skills he had learned with Fra Filippo Lippi (ca.1406–69) and Antonio del Pollaiuolo (ca.1432–98), and blending them with his own ideas. These methods included an understanding of linear perspective, graceful lines, soft tonal contrasts, and a preference for soft colours.

Sources

Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (detail), ca. 1486. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

As she approaches land on her seashell, Venus becomes self-conscious and tries to cover her nudity with her hands and hair in the Venus pudica (modest Venus) stance, taken directly from antique statues that were being discovered at the time, such as the Aphrodite of Cnidos and the Medici Venus. Both hold themselves in modest poses, aiming to hide their naked body, thus demonstrating their chasteness.

Gold-tipped orange trees suggest that the work was commissioned by a member of the Medici family, since oranges were part of their emblem because the tree’s botanical name—malus medicus (medicinal apple)—was a pun on their name. Additionally, at the time, oranges symbolized wealth, power, love and marriage. Drawing on his early apprenticeship to a goldsmith, Botticelli often used powdered gold mixed with egg white—a method known as shell gold or conchiglia.

Materials

Botticelli used the finest pigments available, including ultramarine from lapis lazuli, verdigris, copper resinate, cinnabar, azurite, ochre, red lake and white lead. The skin tones were built up with semi-transparent applications of ochre, white, cinnabar and red lake, layered painstakingly with small brushstrokes.

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