LEILA HUANG

For my art project, I chose to work with acrylic paint on canvas, sketching first with a pencil, and lastly, refining the facial features with a pen.   This is mainly due to the fact that it is less expensive than oil paint and easier for me to control than watercolour.   I thought by using acrylic paint, I would achieve a better result with my current skill set and level of control.   As for my painting, I chose to do a study of Claude Monet’s “Woman with a Parasol”. This is because I am inspired by Monet and his style of art, Impressionism.   It contrasts my own usual approach, which is more stylized and human-centric.   I thought that by choosing to study a Monet painting, it would push me out of my comfort zone and encourage me to explore different styles of art and painting.   

I chose Monet because of the contrast his impressionist art provides to my own style.   I found by doing so, I have expanded my skills.   I find that I am also more open to experimenting with my art, which I usually refrain from doing.   This art project has pushed me to explore styles and techniques I would never have otherwise thought to attempt. I have tried to mimic his loose, light strokes that represented the impressionist era.   I’ve also looked at Monet’s other paintings, such as Springtime, and to an extent, some of Renoir’s paintings, such as The Dancer and the Dance at Bougival.   I also looked to more modern artists, like Lioba Brückner and Mako for tutorials and guidance on painting.   

My biggest challenge this year was finding out what I wanted to work on.   I had multiple ideas, but I didn’t know if I would be able to finish them on time or find the inspiration to keep going.   On the other hand, my biggest success was finding an artist who inspired me and encouraged me to try painting techniques I would have never attempted on my own.  

I would like my viewers to appreciate the tranquillity, the light, and soft brush strokes I have tried to imitate.   Just like the impressionists, I wanted to recreate the painting as I saw it, and not as something perfect with harsh lines and contour.   I want to present the viewers with something that isn’t necessarily perfect but is a vision of the painting and details I see when I look at Monet’s Woman with a Parasol.