WEEK 1: Mystic smile of Mona Lisa

My own artwork of Mona lisa:)) Medium: sign pen 0.5

      I remembered when I was in elementary we studied about the lives and works of some great artists and scientists. At a very young age, naturally I had a great fun, looking at those artworks done by famous artists, to the fact that I was really had fond of interest in line of arts. When my teacher gave an assignment about the works of Leonardo Da Vinci that was the time when I had known about his famous portraits.  And MONA LISA is one of his most recognized works in the history of Arts. I swear… I really amazed the beauty of his famous artworks when it comes on its detailed paintings. Those artworks of famous artist made me realized that I can do my own artworks.  During that time I already tried to draw portraits using my pencils only. When I show you my drawings during elementary, maybe you can say that I was a trying hard artist because I had done those curve lines in my imperfectly way. I knew that…. I was really not so good but I tried so much to develop my ability in art.  I brought it until my high school days. I didn't stop….. I joined in different contest… sometimes I won …. Sometimes I failed….but the things that makes me happy is I can express the beauty of Arts. I started to explore myself…aside from simple pencils that I used to draw… I tried to used charcoal pencil, and pastel oil, I tried also to paint in a canvas in a medium of acrylic.  In fact, all of these made me challenged. I was opened about the comment and criticism from others so that I can improve my works. 

      

     Before, I promised to myself that I want to fulfill my dreams. I told to my parents that I wanted to take up Fine Arts someday but they told me that I can express my passion in other way.  When I got an entrance exam in Lyceum of the Philippines-Laguna, I asked to myself ….What course do I prepare to enroll when I pass the entrance.   I got an answer from Mr. Malabuyoc when he asked me about my forte… When I told him that I can do artworks and I have a little knowledge in video editing, he gave me an advised that “You must prepare to enroll in AB Multimedia Art.”   Now that I’m in College taking up AB- MMA, I realized that it also related to my passion in arts. See When I was in elementary my assignment about famous artworks of Leonardo Da Vinci is same with our topic in our Blogspot… as a part of requirements activity in our “History of Art and Design” subject.… It’s about MONA LISA.  When I was young I just had fun looking her painting now I had to research “Who is Mona Lisa?”  I surfed the internet according to what I have read ….. The Mona Lisa is quite possibly the most well-known piece of painted artwork in the entire world. The Mona Lisa is quite possibly the most well-known piece of painted artwork in the entire world. It was painted by the infamous Leonardo Da Vinci, an Italian artist, sometime between 1504 and 1519, and is a half body commission for a woman named Lisa Gherardini. Her husband, Francesco Del Giocondo requested the work by Da Vinci just after the turn of the century. It is perhaps the most studied piece of artwork ever known. The subject’s facial expression has brought about a source of debate for centuries, as her face remains largely enigmatic in the portrait. At this stage Lisa would have been over twenty-four years of age. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

    

     The truth of the matter is…. while I’m searching the thing that gave my attention was the detail used and technique that Leonardo Da Vinci used in his piece. To think that I have learn a lot of things that I can use in my future artworks. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Mona Lisa stands out amongst the great paintings for the detail in her hands, eyes, and lips. Da Vinci used a shadowing technique at the corners of her lips as well as the corners of her eyes which give her an extremely lifelike appearance and look of amusement. Her portrait is such that to an observer, they are standing right before Lisa Del Giocondo, with the arms of her chair as the barrier between the observer and the subject of the painting. Da Vinci also created a background with aerial views and a beautiful landscape, but muted from the vibrant lightness of the subject’s face and hands. The technique Da Vinci used in executing the painting left behind no visible brush marks, something that was said to make any master painter lose heart. It is truly a masterpiece.

The light gives the variety of living surfaces an underlying geometry of spheres and circles.  Since the brightly lit face is practically framed with various much darker elements (hair, veil, shadows), The woman appears alive to an unusual measure, which Leonardo achieved by his new method not to draw the outlines,. The blurred outlines, graceful figure, dramatic contrasts of light and dark and overall feeling of calm are characteristic of Leonardo's style. Mona Lisa should be considered as a traditional portrait, for it represents an ideal rather than a real woman. Mona Lisa has no clearly visible eyebrows or eyelashes. Mona Lisa was originally painted with eyelashes and with better visible eyebrows, but that these had gradually disappeared over time, perhaps as a result of over cleaning. For modern viewers the nearly missing eyebrows add to the slightly abstract quality of the face.

That I was told a while ago that I can relate of what Leonardo Da Vinci’s works….. on how he created the paintings of Mona Lisa…. even if I didn’t try the Oil paintings I thought it must be same with how I can do with acrylic painting ….the point  is An artist can express the beauty of Arts in their own way.

     

     One thing that I’m really sure is that What Da Vinci’s imparted knowledge to us will be a great help for us.  I really admired his works; I’ll see to it that I will apply all I have learned on his Artworks especially in my paintings.