ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing ArtsISSN (Online): 2582-7472
J. R. TOLIKEN
(Lord of Rings) and Grim Brothers take references from the real world and
create fantastic stories which best portray in Fantasy Art. Fantasy Art is
a well painted visual story for evoking feelings. Artwork is a compliment of
the stories, as a visual representation reflecting our imagination. Fantasy is a
fuel for creativity. Everybody has a different opinion about result of any art
creation or its purpose. Some may understand a pic and said it is beautiful or
some roughly thought, it is unpleasant. But we all like art works in one way or
another. Female representation in art goes back to the times when human being was dwelling in caves and reflected in works on these walls. Human desire to express, has been the key reason why we find these paintings, visually depicting everyday life and its stories which centre around Birth, Death and Survival. Looking at them, we find that these women figures cut
across continents only some of the flora and fauna and yet human depiction
remain constant. As paintings evolved, we find representation of the female
figure undergoing changes with element of beauty, voluptuousness and
sensuality, findings acceptance in the celebration of human race. From the
Indian perspective, we find this growth by looking at works from Bhimbetka
Caves (Madhya Pradesh), Edakal Caves (Kerala) and Fresco and Murals of Ajanta
and Ellora. It is these,
that formed, further, progress of thought, technique, and skill for future
artists in visual representation of not only paintings but sculptures too. In the
sculpture’s figurine, we see key feminine physical representation with clarity.
We find on study of these paintings’ sculptures that beauty emerges as a
central theme of these piece of works. It also moved from mere representation,
religious representation to a domain where beauty existed for its own sakes.
Hence also bringing, human emotion and desire for things beautiful, which is
the material for creating Fantasy Art.
2. We Depict women figures in five categories GODDESS: we have Goddess images represented in
diaphanous clothes, laying emphasis on form, and reflecting fertility in many
cultures. The common form being of Mother Goddess or Earth Goddess. In India, we
have goddess figures which are beautifully sculpted tastefully painted and
adorning in beautiful jewellery. All Devi Figures are part of this group. WARRIOR: we
have a skinny and unpractical body Armor, most images we see in Manga and
Japanese animation from 19h century starting. In Indian
temple sculptures and paintings, we find the goddess accompanied by warrior
female companions which also could be Yakshani’s. PRIMITIVE: we have stories in forest and tribes, where
we see women wearing minimal clothing because of the nature of their profession
and environment. We see this type of women figure in the cover page of 1960
fantasy magazine and in the recent years Marvel movie characters named Mystic
is an example of this genre. PRINCESS: Wearing clothes with multiple layering
emphasizing counters are the figures, we usually see in this category. Indian
Princess Greek Figurines and Walt Disney female characters, Barbies dolls for
young girls, are some of the best examples. WITCH: Magical
Creature Portraying / Signified Negative characters with minimalistic clothes
are usually an important part of most fantasy stories in western cultures
including movies like Van Helsing movie character, She Hulk in Marvel comics
and movies are some of the examples. These
categories have celebrated the feminine form, sensuality and evoking
diverse feeling in the voyeurs from Love
to Lust and the in Between. 3. Women figures From Artist Perspective
There are three
different thought schools in the art world: First school
of thought is Realism, which believe art is a representation of reality and it
must paint as it is. In this thought of school all 18th century
Great artists falls. They paint women figure realistically in their paintings. Some of them are Aaron Coberly,
Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849-1921),
Addison Thomas Millar, Albert Joseph
Moore (1841-1893), Annibale Carracci (1560-1609). Second school
of thought which believe that
art is a representation of beauty, and we paint nature in its beautiful form. We
identify them in and as Idealism. Artists like Dante Gabriel Rossetti
(1828-1882), Edgar Degas (1834-1917), Edvard Munch (1863-1944), Jack Vettriano
is some of the famous names. There is
another (Third) school of thought which think artwork is part of sell and in
this Commercial world, we sell art, as a need for survival. Artists Like Julie
Bell, Boris Vallejio, Marta Dahlig, Frank Frazetta, Pino Daeni is some of the famous names. We the artist
are also social people and need boarding and lodging, many for survival and
cannot exist in vacuumed. With creating
fantasy art, we sell our work and it purely, is a commercial artwork, where we
create work, some time with our urge to create beautiful figure or some time on
demand. There is nothing wrong to be a commercial and popular in the artist world.
More popular we are, more priced our work is! This is a
simple economic reality, but we also create which may not cell but are off no
lesser value. 4. Examples of Western and Indian artists with their
creations
While many may
wonder on my focus of artist in the western world, I would like to bring forth
some of the Indian artist who have used the female subject in distinctive form
and bringing out all the subtle nuances and celebrating the feminine.
5. Why I choose this topic As an
illustrator and book designer, when I start my art profession, a lady from an
established publishing house hint me, “Alok if you want to be a successful
painter or illustrator you should work on face and body language specially
Women figure and their different moods. If you successfully portray female
figure, your chance of success maximizes as compared to other fellow artists.” This piece of
advice helps me to think and keeps me motivated and is the reason I choose this
topic. Her suggestion helped me a lot. Many artists
paint women in many forms but a beautiful, attractive women figure always gets
extra marks and support in the creative circle. Artists like Raja Ravi Verma, John Fernandes, M F Hussain, Boris Vallejo, Jack Vettriano, and Pino are the time less women figure artists. Their images are references for future artists in their endeavours to become successful. RefErences Besson, A. (2020). From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Comics : Illustrating the Imaginative. Vallejo, B. and Bell, J. (2020, February 3). Charles, M. (2008). The History of Fantasy Art. Fantastic art (2020). In Wikipedia. Fantasy Artist Genius Guide. (2014). Imagine Publishing Ltd. 2, ISBN – 978-1910155356. Indian painting (2020). In Wikipedia. Clute, J. and Grant, J. (1997). Encyclopedia of Fantasy. United Kingdom. (First Edition) National Museum Catalogue (1993). New Delhi. Raja Ravi Varma : New Perspectives. Robinson : Art Curator and Art Critic, Mentor. William, A. R (2011). Drawing - The Complete Course. American Artist.
I have made a study of the books mentioned in my references and have not used any line as it is from there but used the understanding gained from thereon and hence it is not possible to add/create what does not exist. All reference materials in this article have been used by me not as sentence or word by word, or/ and quoted from and has been using the zist of these articles. I am indebted to these authors for shaping my article. Sign. Alok Kumar
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