A S H L E I G H K W O N GF A S H I O N D E S I G N P O R T F O L I O

MOODBOARD

INSPIRATIONHELEN FRANKENTHALER

‘The Bay’ 1963Helen FrankenthalerInstitute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan

“White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose)” 1950. (205.8cm x 141cm) by Mark Rothko

MARK ROTHKOAbstract Expressionism grew in New York in the 1940s-50s. Not only did it encompass the work of painters who expressed vivid fields of

colour and abstract forms, but also those paints who attacked their canvas with vigorous gestural expressionism. All were committed

to an expressive art displaying emotion and reflecting universal themes.

The expressive potential of colour itself was explored by artists such as Rothko, Newman, and Still. They created artworks that con-

sisted of simplified, large-forment, colour dominated fields. The reflective and cerebral feel is expresssed in the simplified paintings,

which create an elemetal impact. It is not about the subject matter itself, but more about the sensory and emotional experience

that it takes you on. Rothko’s paintings are beautiful and powerful.

Helen Frankenthaler was a painter and printmaker, who invented the “soak-stain” technique, in which she poured turpen-

tine-thinned paint onto canvas, producing luminous colour washes that appeared to merge with the canvas, which made it appear

as if there was no three-dimensional illusion. Frankenthaler was an abstract artist that focused on the natural landscape as the major

inspiration, rather than the existential confrontation with the canvas or the search for the sumblime. Her paintings were impressions of

nature.

ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM

Paul.S (2004) “Abstract Expresionism” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.met.museum.org/toah/hb/abex.htm [Accessed: 22 July 2014]The Art Story Foundation (2014) Helen Frankenthaler | The Art Story.org [ONLINE] Available at: www.theartstory.org/artist-frankenthaler-helen.htm [Accessed 26 July 2014]Wolf.J (2014) Abstract Expressionism [ONLINE] Available at: www.theartstory.org/move- ment-abstract-expressionism.htm [Accessed 22 July 2014

COMPOSITIONSAs I was inspired by Helen Frankenthaler’s beautiful

organic paintings, I proceeded in experimenting

with her painting style. I painted large abstract

shapes onto paper. Then with the flow of my brush,

and a selection of different paints loaded in various

sections of the brush (sumi-e style), I painted more

organic shapes.

In doing so, I spontaneously created my own style

of abstract expressionistic painting using the

techniques I was inspired by.

To take this futher, I used photoshop to manipulate

the colours of the painting. Thus, applying

technology to art to create a new perspective.

The following compositions are some original

paintings and edits

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