ABSTRACT
This thesis titled exploration in Painting using coloured patterns of selected frog specie, is an overview on pattern formation on frogs as a source of inspiration for contemporary painting. Over the years, artists have come up with various methods of expression. Gardner (1980) points out that from pre-historic times to the present, mankind has been much involved with nature and its elements such as visual forms, shapes, patterns and images. The exploration of the pattern formation and surface quality of frogs in painting as the subject of artistic contemplation is with the view of scrutinizing carefully the pattern formation of various frogs beyond its scientific appreciation as an amphibian. This is with the desire to create images of artistic potentials derived from the pattern formation on the skin of frogs as a source of inspiration for exploration in painting. The frog, as an element of nature from which the researcher draws his inspiration, is endowed with variety of interesting lines, forms, shapes, patterns and textures which have visual aesthetic values. This study focused on the colour pattern formation on some selected specie of frogs for exploration in painting. A review of works and literature was undertaken to show and appreciate the contributions made by painters in the study of nature. A studio based methodology was adopted in conflating needed information for this study which included paintings, sketches, drawings based on the direct visual study of selected species of frog. Photographs were also manipulated to create the body of works for this research. It also provided information on the systematic approach to the study. Conventional different media were used in carrying out the exploration in paints (these include pen and ink, and colours, acrylic, and self made colour). The works derived from this research are presented in plates and also formed the whole body of the works to be exhibited. The study, has through the use of frogs produce paintings and created a postmodernist concept for contemporary Nigeria art. Also, it reveals that through experimentation with frogs in painting, patterns on the frogs can be juxtaposed to form composition of aesthetic values. Findings in the course of the research reveals that the creative and systematic manipulation of the textural qualities on selected species of frog can create new vista of aesthetic designs. Also through documentation, this study creates awareness to interested researchers in modern artistic development especially in nature painting, it is also recommended that artists should continue to look which in nature for inspiration in painting because of its in exhaustible potentials.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii Certification – – – – – – – – – iii Dedication – – – – – – – – – iv Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – v Abstract – – – – – – – – vi Table of content – – – – – – – – vii List of figures – – – – – – – – – ix List of plates – – – – – – – – – x CHAPTER ONE 1.1 Introduction – – – – – – – – 1 1.2 Background of the study – – – – – – 2 1.3 Statement of the Research problem – – – – – 3 1.4 Aim and Objectives of the study – — – – – 4 1.5 Justification of the study – – – – – – 4 1.6 Research Questions – – – – – – – 5 1.7 Significance of the study – – – – – – 5 1.8 Scope of the study – – – – – – – 5 1.9 Conceptual framework – – – – – – 6 CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND RELATED WORKS – – 7 2.1 Introduction – – – – – – – – 7 2.2 Description of a Frog – – – – – – – 7 2.3 Aesthetic relevance of Frogs for artistic purposes in Painting – 8 2.4 Review of related works – – – – – – 8
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CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY – – – – – – – – 23 3.1 Introduction – – – – – – – – 23 3.2 Population – – – – – – – – 23 3.3 Sampling – – – – – – – – 23 3.4 Data gathering instrument – – – – – – 24 3.5 Data collection – – – – – – – 24 3.6 Research Design – – – – – – – 24 3.7 Sketches – – – – – – – – 25 3.8 Photograph – – – – – – – – 30 3.9 Media – – – – – – – – – 37 3.10 Place of colour – – – – – – – 37 CHAPTER FOUR CATALOGUING AND ANALYSIS OF WORKS – – – 38 4.1 Introduction – – – – – – – – 38 4.2 Analysis of works – – – – – – – 38 4.2.1 Representational Stage – – – – – – 38 4.2.2 Exploratory stage – – – – – – – 44 4.2.3 Developmental stage – – – – – – – 49 4.2.4 Geometric stage – – – – – – – 59 4.2.5 Diffused Abstraction Stage – – – – – – 63 CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION – – – – – 67 5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – 67 5.2 Findings – – – – – – – – 67 5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 68 5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – 69 References – – – – – – – – 70
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction Current trends in the field of art have gone beyond imagination in terms of the use of mediums, concepts and techniques. Painters are in constant search for new concepts through sources of inspiration. Nature to some has been a source of inspiration. Also, textural qualities of forms like trees, rocks among others, serve as sources of inspiration to artists. Patterns found on frogs alongside colours are elements that inspired this research. Mock (2013) pointed out that, frogs belong to a group of animals called the amphibians and can be found all over the world and in every climate except Antarctica. They are both aquatic and terrestrial in nature, meaning they can be found on land and anybody of fresh water. Scientists believe that there are more than 4,000 different species of frogs. Frogs are of different species and colours, spotting just about every colour in the rainbow, some are yellow, while others are either brown, red, orange, black or the combination of these colours, some even have the ability to camouflage and can change colour. They are often patterned with bold stripes and spots. These bright colours serve as a warning to predators probably meaning: “Don’t eat me; I’m poisonous.” The patterns on each species of frog, vary from one to the other. Some have no pattern at all and are just a solid colour and others have very cool markings, which form interesting aesthetic patterns.
The ability of the frogs to change their colour, like the chameleon, is as a result of light, temperature, humidity, or even mood. Fear or excitement, can also make some frogs change colour. Bird (2012) observed that, the changes in colour are created by special
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pigment cells called chromatorphores. These changes in colours give frogs the ability to blend into their surroundings, making detection or recognition more difficult. Frogs, as part of nature, are of great importance to humans. Most frogs live on a diet of insects, and in many areas, they help control population of mosquitoes and crop-damaging insects. In turn, they may be a food source for humans. 1.2 Background of the study Over the years, artists have come up with various methods of expression. Gardner (1980) points out that from pre-historic times to the present, mankind has been much involved with nature and its elements such as visual forms, shapes, patterns and images which are traceable to the representation on cave walls of Altamira. Gushem (1990) noted that some artists drew and painted subjects from wildlife, which is also an aspect of nature. He goes further to say that quite a number of patterns are natural in existence. Thus, Nature has been the foremost source of inspiration in art practice. Nature, as defined by the Encarta encyclopedia (2009) is the physical world, including all natural phenomena and living things. Nature is all around us and deep within us; we are in separable from nature. The Exploration of nature in art can take endless forms, because nature is such an immense topic that encompasses so many things .for example artists from as early as the fifteenth century derived inspiration from their environment. The outcome of such inspiration is obvious in the works of artists like Claude Monet, PaulCézanne, Pierre Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, and Eugene Boudin. In Nigeria and particularly the Zaria painters have been inspired by nature among whom are: Jerry Buhari (1984), Philip Gushem (1990), Jacob Jari(1994), Abafras Gurin(2010) and Susan Dingba(2010), among others.
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Some artists who used frogs or incorporated frogs in their paintings include: Johannes Stoetter(2012), Aviji Bera, Otto Marseus Vanshrieck(1662), Frank Beifus(2009), Rebecca Rees(2010), Caroline Jumhour(2012), Shari Erickson(2008), Chris Hamman, Nick Gustafson, Bruce Herman and Mary Anne Whittle. The exploration of the coloured pattern of selected frogs in painting, as the subject of artistic contemplation is carried out with a view to scrutinizing carefully the pattern formation of various frogs beyond its scientific appreciation as an amphibian. This is with the desire to create images of artistic potentials derived from the coloured pattern formation on the skin of frogs as a source of inspiration, for exploration in painting. The frog, as an element of nature from which the researcher draws inspiration, is endowed with a variety of interesting lines, forms, shapes, patterns and textures which have visual aesthetic values. Gatto, Porter and Selleck (1978) stressed that patterns can be used to describe a wide variety of visual experiences and human activity. They observed that “we see consistently on as elements in clothing design, wall paper covering, jewelry and ornaments and all kinds of natural objects such as plants and animals. Patterns therefore, are worth imitating as models for making something or an artistic figure”. The patterns on frogs, which are reflected as either smooth, rough, broken or spotted, also gives a tactile feeling of a textural effect. Therefore, this study seeks to redirect our creative and artistic gaze to an in-depth perception of nature, by focusing on the pattern formation on selected species of frogs, for expression in painting. 1.3 Statement of the Research problem
Artists over the years have used frogs, as a source of inspiration, to create paintings. Artists like Johannes Stoetter(2012), Aviji Bera (2012), Otto Marseus Vanshrieck (1662), Frank Beifus (2009), Rebecca Rees(2010), Caroline Jumhour (2012), Shari Erickson
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(2008) and Nick Gustafson (2011), among others, used frogs as subject or incorporated frogs in their paintings. Yet, is observed that despite the aesthetic and appealing nature of the colour patterns on frogs, artists have not fully explored and exhausted the possibilities of adopting the patterns to come up with creative works that are “novel. The researcher is not aware of any scholarly or in-depth study carried out on the colour pattern formation of frogs within and outside Nigeria. Therefore, this study explore in painting using colour patterns of selected frogs. 1.4 Aim and Objectives of the study The aim of the study is to develop paintings from coloured patterns of selected species of frogs. While the specific objectives are to: explore in painting using selected species of frogs. Create visual forms in painting from the exploration of the coloured patterns of the selected frog. produce paintings from the patterns, that have illusionistic textured effect. create paintings that are of abstract concept using coloured patterns of frogs.
1.5 Justification of the study It is observed that despite the aesthetic and appealing nature of the coloured patterns on frogs, artists have not fully explored and exhausted the possibilities of adopting the patterns that form the textures, to come up with creative works that are “novel”. Also, this will lead to self discovery and the development of mental and creative skills of younger generations of Nigerian painters.
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1.6 Research Questions
i. Can frogs‟ colour patterns be used for exploration in painting?
ii. Are there possibilities in creating illusionistic textural effect in painting using frogs‟ colour patterns?
1.7 Significance of the study It is common sight to see artists copy works or photographs of ready-made works, as source of inspiration. This study is expected, therefore, to reawaken interest for in-depth study of nature. It is also to expand the scope of nature painting by motivating Nigerian artists (Painters) to explore using other elements of nature that have not been explored. This is because, most artists appear not, to recognize and appreciate the aesthetic relevance of natural pattern formation in their immediate environment. This study will therefore, offer diverse aesthetic engagements such as different ideas coming from the same study, through which, various painting compositions can be developed, thereby, existing awareness for creativity. This research will give artists and future generations the opportunity to perceive, discover and to create a new world. 1.8 Scope of the study This study is concerned with the colour patterns found on a five selected species of frogs within Zaria and its environs, they include: the leopard frog, African bull frog, poison dart frog, cricket frog and African reed frog. This is because of their availability, artist‟s interest and their aesthetic colourful patterns.
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1.9 Conceptual framework The main idea of this study is to develop paintings from the coloured patterns of selected species of frogs. The study is geared towards making an abstract representation and interpretation that finds anchorage in abstract expressionism. The term “Abstract Expressionism” is greatly associated with the twentieth century arts and is described by Chilvers (1999) as a form of art that does not depict recognizable scenes or objects, but instead, is made up of shapes, forms and colours, that exist for their own expressive sake. He affirms that decorative arts can be described as abstract. Abstract expressionism connotes art without recognizable images and does not adhere to the limits of conventional forms. Ochigbo (2006) also added that the root of abstract expressionism is in the totally nonfigurative work of the Russian-born painter, Wassily Kandinsky, whose exploration of the possibilities of abstraction makes him one of the most important innovators in modern art; and a pivotal role in the development of Abstract Art.
The researcher adopts the concept of nonfigurative abstract paintings of Wassily Kandinsky, where he explores the values and relationships between colours, using a chromatic palette of intense pigments and a geometric approach. The study begins from a researcher‟s awareness of Kandinsky‟s Abstract Art concept, where a visual language of form, colour and line, are employed to create compositions that exist, with a degree of independence from visual references.
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