Concept Art Decalcomania

Concept Art Decalcomania

Decalcomania is similar to a way of working I have attempted before, so I was familiar with it. Max Ernst uses a lot of decalcomania in his work, so I looked into his paintings before attempting it myself. It is the use of thick paint on canvas, and then through the use of adding other materials to make a pattern or textured surface. This technique works amazingly in Ernst’s work, with the textures produced blending into surreal landscapes and backgrounds. The good part about decalcomania is that there is an element of unpredictability with it. You add the colours and apply the surface to it, but you don’t know what the resulting piece of art will look like. Because of this, it is an almost collage like process due to working out what direction you want to go with the piece of art once the decalcomania has been completed.


Here is a piece by Ernst called “Europe after the rain”. It embodies the decalcomania technique for its rocky outcrops.

 

I produced this piece of work in response to this technique, and added on drawings digitally. I was heavily inspired by the surrealist nature of Max Ernst’s techniques when doing so.

References:

Ernst, M. 1940 – 1942. Europe after the rain. Oil on canvas. At: New York: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Bibliography:

Ernst, M. 1940 – 1942. Europe after the rain. Oil on canvas. At: New York: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Backus, J. 2014. Beyond Painting: The experimental techniques of Max Ernst. [Online]. [Accessed 18 November 2016]. Available from: https://www.artsy.net/article/jessica-beyond-painting-the-experimental-techniques-of-max

Wahr, M. 2011. Decalcomania, [Online]. [Accessed 18 November 2016]. Available from: http://archive.bridgesmathart.org/2011/bridges2011-617.pdf

Nuovo, G. 2002 – 2007. Decalcomania, [Online]. [Accessed 18 November 2016]. Available from: http://www.spamula.net/blog/2004/02/decalcomania.html

Ernst, M. 1934. The entire city, [Oil on paper laid on canvas]. At: London: Tate

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The editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2016. Frottage. [Online]. [Accessed 19 November 2016]. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/art/frottage

Ernst, J. 1980, Gleams and shadows, Oil on canvas.

Artnet, 2016. Artnet website. [Online]. [Accessed 20 November 2016]. Available from: http://www.artnet.com/usernet/awc/awc_workdetail.asp?aid=424415370&gid=424415370&cid=97638&wid=424440907&page=1

Rimrock Foundation, 2013. Jimmy Ernst info website. [Online]. [Accessed 20 November 2016]. Available from: http://jimmyernst.net/

Giger, H R. 1977. Necronomicon, [Airbrish]

Davies, A. 2016. H R Giger museum Website. [Online]. [Accessed 21 November 2016]. Available from: http://www.hrgiger.com/barmuseum.htm

VA Gallery. 2016. VA Gallery Website, [Online]. [Accessed 21 November 2016]. Available from: http://www.vagallery.com/h-r-giger.html

Giger, H R. 2016. H R Giger’s Website. [Online]. [Accessed 22 November 2016]. Available from: http://www.hrgiger.com/

Parker, C. 2006. H R Giger. [Online]. [Accessed 22 November 2016]. Available from: http://linesandcolors.com/2006/10/04/h-r-giger/