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OK Seungcheo (Aokizy）

Aokizy’s work is contemporary, with simple characters and colors tinged with the chill and tension of the times. She focuses on the head features of cartoon characters and her expressions are very evocative and infectious. Her work taught me how to utilize a character’s emotions to express a face. Shows the character’s expressions. From these works, I learned or can use simple lines and many color blocks in my next work. When I draw a certain this character again, I should focus more on considering the tension of a character to portray how it makes the audience feel certain emotions. Most of her images are derived from comic book characters he saw in his childhood. For example, his work on Blaster, Peter Pan. She uses her childhood memories and her childhood companions to give them new life. What makes her different from many artists is that she doesn’t start working directly on the canvas, but uses computer software to create a vector drawing and then converts them to canvas. What amazes me about her paintings is the intensity of the emotions one feels at first glance. Most of the time it is an air of tension. The simplicity of her characters is such that one can feel the emotions just through their expressions. Her paintings also have no story or other scenes. Her handling of her characters’ expressions transcends the means that others need to use scenes to give the viewer a sense of atmosphere and ambiance.

Robert Kushner

Robert Kushner was an American painter who became famous because of the Deco movement. He used rich colors to paint flowers and scenes. His paintings are very bold, combining nature, abstraction and geometry. His use of color and collage is very appealing to me. Especially he often divides the background into many shapes and adds different things to these shapes, but without affecting the main subject. Nor did it overwhelm the subject. For example, in his painting Interior, Exterior in 2020, his entire subject is a leafy type plant in the center, but he divides the background behind it, distinguishing them into four panels. Separately and boldly, he used sharp bright colors on each of the four panels. He has inspired me that I can learn from his segmentation of paintings. His other piece of Summer Meadow also divides the background behind the subject, giving me the impression that the flowers in this painting are going through the seasons or some other weather. However, the use of white space in the flower part of the painting doesn’t make me feel that the plant is growing in one half of the painting, and the other half is in the painting. His understanding of the texture of his works is very powerful, and he has a strong concept of material construction of the picture, as well as his unique style to express the visual tension. He has said: “In the field of decoration, I never tire of pursuing new ideas.” For many people, decoration is a mean contempt, but for me, it is a very big and somewhat provocative declaration. The eye can wander and the mind can pass unimpeded through the visual realm which is vast and emotionally rich. Decoration always has its own purpose, sincerely and unabashedly providing pleasure and comfort.” This quote resonates with my understanding of visuals and also color.

Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon was one of the most famous British painters of the 20th century. He was known for his deep portrayal of human conditions, especially showing the good and evil sides of human nature. His work was influenced by surrealism, movies, photography, and classic art, and had a unique style. His paintings often showed people in extreme twisted forms, like raw meat, symbolizing lonely and troubled souls. This showed the struggle and conflict in human existence.His paintings give me strong feelings. The people in them, and the whole picture, seem to scream or show big emotions. This way of showing deep and often unsettling feelings is a key part of his work.Bacon respected traditional painting methods while being innovative. This respect is clear in his famous “screaming popes” series, based on Velázquez’s “Portrait .” Even when people doubted painting as an art form, Bacon’s work stood out for its strong and deep look into the human soul.Bacon’s exploration of human conditions, especially through existential anxiety and inner conflict, deeply connects with my painting idea about the duality of human nature. His work inspires me to deeply understand the complexity and conflict within human nature.

The Good and Evil Angels by William Blake.

https://www.thehistoryofart.org/william-blake/good-and-evil-angels/

This painting was created in 1795. It holds an important place in Blake’s art career, showing his exploration and development. It mixes Gothic and Romantic elements. The painting focuses on reason and emotion, representing good (reason) and evil (emotion).

In the story, reason and emotion are shown as two characters: Urizen and Luvah, sons of Los. They stand for his creative sides of reason and emotion. The story is about their fight, with Luvah trying to gain the highest power in heaven. Another character, Tharmas, represents love and charity. He steps in to stop violence when Luvah tries to overthrow Urizen.

The theme of original chaos is also in the story. It happens when Luvah tries to rebuild Los’ garden by making a house. This causes the first fight between Urizen and Luvah and chaos in heaven. This chaos started when Los made his garden but was interrupted by Satan.

“The Good and Evil Angels” shows Blake’s deep look at human nature’s duality. It reflects his understanding of the complex play between good and evil. This theme inspires me for my work, showing the creative and destructive sides of human nature.

Keith Haring

Keith Haring’s art is distinguished by its use of simple line shapes, creating a stark contrast with the work of other artists. He believed that straightforward lines and images were more effective in conveying messages and emotions. This approach influenced me to express plants solely through lines before adding color for a different visual experience. Haring’s work, impactful and easily comprehensible, represented a shift in the art world, challenging more abstract and conceptual expressions with its directness and vitality.

In his subway chalk drawings, Haring’s spontaneous artistic intuition and immediate reaction to life were evident. The diverse themes of these works included life, love, sex, and death, presented through a simple yet direct visual language. This taught me that conveying complex ideas like life and love doesn’t require intricate methods; simplicity can often suffice. Haring’s subway art, accessible and engaging, demonstrated the power of minimalism in art. It underscored the effectiveness of clear, uncomplicated imagery in reaching and resonating with a broad audience.

His approach to art was not just about aesthetics but also about accessibility and social commentary. Haring’s commitment to using public spaces as his canvas democratized art, bringing it to people who might not visit galleries or museums. His style, though seemingly simple, was a powerful tool for social engagement and commentary, proving that art could be both profound and approachable. This dual quality of Haring’s work — its visual simplicity coupled with deep social relevance — has been a major influence in my approach to art, teaching me the value of clarity and directness in artistic expression.