Rex Brandt - Essay Example

REX BRANDT: CALIFORNIA WATERCOLOR PAINTER Introduction Rex Brandt (1914-2000) was one of the most influential California watercolour artists, whose works are well-known for their unique processes and his distinctive style that combined Cubist abstraction, Abstract Expressionism and Realism (Goss, 2008). Brandt grew up in San Diego and in Riverside. Interested in art from an early age, he adopted a cubist, broad, and splashy style of watercolour painting, and focused mostly on painting San Diego and the beaches of Southern California. As a member of the California Watercolor Society and an eminent leader of California artists in the 1930s and 1940s, his contribution to art and to focusing national attention on California artists, was immense. Further, as a teacher, he inspired innumerable students to paint skillfully with watercolours. To Brandt (p.9), working with this oldest medium known to man was exciting because the transparent colours glowed like stained glass. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the watercolour artist Rex Brandt’s paintings, and determine the importance of process and materials in his works. The Importance of Process and Materials in the Work of Rex Brandt Brandt (a) (p.119) considered drawing to be the at the heart of watercolour painting. He advocated the importance of sketching as a primary step even in the case of landscapes, and the development of an individual style in executing a painting (Brandt (b) 16). Another requirement was an appropriate choice of materials for achieving best results, and he took into consideration the key role of paper for the medium of transparent pigment or watercolours. The artist appreciated the sparkling white paper adjacent with the transparent, colourful dark hues which forms a unique feature of watercolours. According to Brandt (p.81), “pure or transparent watercolour is universally appealing” because of its clarity and directness in portraying the image or scene. The artist used three basic watercolour techniques: the wash or control method, wet-into-wet, and dry brush and line. All the three methods may be used in the same painting (Brandt 145). It was considered essential to master the techniques of flat and gradated washes before progressing to the wet-into-wet, drybrush and line methods. Brandt focused equally on controlling the wash, handling colour through the different techniques as given above, correcting mistakes, and on matting and framing the completed art work. Further, the way thin watercolour on white paper reflects light has been compared by Brandt (p.11) to “the luster of a sea-shell, the translucence of a tide pool, and the luminosity of coloured glass against the sun”. After evaporation of the water and the gumbinder taking hold, each small nuance of the painting becomes fixed to the white surface of the paper. However, the main charm of using watercolours is its distinctive potential for gradation which contributes to the visual excitement created by the paintings. This effect is produced by arpeggios or flowing series of gradations in colour and value, as seen in Fig.1. below. Thus, watercolour is a special medium which readily accommodates an interchange of colours as well as gradation, which in turn can modulate its characteristic movement, liquidity and bounce. Fig.1. August at South Beach by Rex Brandt (California Watercolour (1), 2011) In watercolour paintings, accents with with the help of light watercolours are not completed as finishing touches, since light shades cannot cover dark watercolours. Working from light to dark is most effective in such paintings; similarly, it is advisable to work from very broad areas to smaller areas “since the progressively darker washes will overlay and obscure the lighter ones” (Brandt 98). The artist provided accents using the extremes of light and dark colours; while the grays acted as amalgams thereby giving a sense of unification to the entire picture. A vast number of Brandt’s work is based on city scapes of San Diego, and several depictions of the beaches of Southern California. The Wash-on-Wash Technique of Watercolor Painting Used by Brandt A fundamental process in watercolour painting is the wash, by which the pigment is deposited on the paper or a segment of it by means of a controlled application of the watercolour. This is done on dry paper. While a wash is being run, it is important to tilt the board at an angle of 150. Further, some papers used as the base for the painting accept washes more readily than others, and some may leave tiny white uncovered spots during the first wash. These can be smoothed over with brisk brushing (Brandt (a) 44). The wash-on-wash method involves running a wash on wet paper. Brandt used the play of light throughout his work; this could be on water, roofs, the ground, or on sails. “Brandt loved the challenge of representing the sun” (Kiebala, 2011). He believed that the sun cannot be painted, and can only be represented through symbolization. The artist aimed to portray the regenerative feeling and effect of its presence, and not only the appearance of the sun. Thus, the core theme of the sun’s light forms the basis of most of his works throughout his art career. Thus, while contemporary artists of his time were creating paintings about social problems and the war, Rex Brandt expressed through his works the sun, and the fun and joy that is associated with it. He did not consider the theory behind his work, and hence created spontaneously natural, free-flowing pictures that grasped and depicted the essence of mid-twentieth century California. As a result, the carefree, simpler and happier time of that era is brought to life as a legacy of the great artist. The indirect wash-on-wash technique can be varied by changing the direction of gradation. For example, in the painting Mid Morning Balboa, 1973 below, the sense of sunlight from the left side is intensified by directing the gradation of the strokes differently in the other parts of the picture (Kiebala, 2011). Fig.2. Mid Morning Balboa, 1973 by Rex Brandt (California Watercolour (2), 2011) The above contrasting of gradations is also seen in Rex Brandt’s Approach to Big Sur from the South (1966), depicted in Fig.3. below: Fig.3. Approach to Big Sur from the South (1966) by Rex Brandt (Bonhams, 2007) As seen in Brandt’s painting above (Fig.3), contrast was another important theme in the artist’s works. Instead of depicting the jagged, sharp edges of a cliff or its great height, or painting the immense horizon of the Pacific Ocean to show its vastness, he preferred to juxtapose the cliffs with the Pacific Ocean, showing the contrasting colours of the water and land, and the wonders of nature. He also placed man-made structures like docks, to show that man and nature live closely together. Rex Brandt’s most favourite contrasting effects were produced with the help of bold colours. In the watercolour work Newport Jetty depicted in Fig.4. below, there are bold sweeps of colour forming the clouds in the sky and the undulating waves of the sea, with dark strokes indicating the jetty. These thick strokes of colour contrast starkly with the white of the paper which the artist reveals where the sun shines through the sky and shimmers on the surface of the water. Fig.4. Newport Jetty by Rex Brandt (California Watercolour (3), 2011) Rex Brandt preferred to work en plein air or in the open air of the outdoors. He completely identified himself with the scene, internalizing the essence of the surrounding area and its effect on all his senses such as that of smell, hearing, sight, tangible feelings that were evoked and the actual view of the scene. For instance, while painting a horse stables, the actual smell that pervaded the atmosphere as well as the whinnying sounds of the horses influenced his choice of colors for the painting. Thus, he kept his perceptions alert, and depicted his paintings with a raw freshness that was impressive and appealing to a wide audience of people. Further, as in the painting given above Approach to the Big Sur, so also in the watercolor painting On the Way to La Cresta (1981) below Brandt chose to include telephone lines and houses in the countryside depicted in the picture. Through this technique, the artist displayed “the dramatic contrasts of our world” (Kiebala, 2011). Fig.5. On the Way to La Cresta (1981) by Rex Brandt (Californiawatercolor.com (a), 2011) Brandt’s Wet-into-Wet Technique of Painting with Watercolors Generally, Brandt (p.68) painted watercolours onto wet surfaces in what he called the wet-into-wet technique. This method is also known as the feather-edge or the direct technique, being executed spontaneously and producing a spongy and spectacular effect. It had to be done carefully for obtaining the desired results. In this technique, the wet surface of the paper is the palette, while water is used for blending in the colour. When wash-on-wash is put by the painter before waiting for the initially applied colours to dry, he paints wet-into-wet. The resulting feather edges are “soft and juicy” (Brandt 68), but the flooding of colour-in-colour results in the formation of “curtains”. Further, the artist believed that working with only soft edges in the beginning stages helped to avoid getting specific too early. Therefore, Brandt and some other water colour painters frequently painted wet on wet until they decided on the focal point of the composition. Hard edges describe specific forms, and it is important to use them functionally to serve the artist’s purpose, as seen in the figure below. Fig.6. Evening’s Catch from the Wharf by Rex Brandt (Artnet, 2011) In Fig.6 above, Rex Brandt used hard edges to guide the viewer’s perspective towards the wharf leading from the centre of the composition. Only after working on the big shapes using soft-edged washes, the relatively small and dark, hard-edged strokes were added. The colours applied by the artist helped to keep the surface of the paper wet; hence Brandt (p.75) believed in working from the big background areas to the small areas at the centre of interest. Reversing this process would result in large areas of dry paper. Planning the wash is therefore essential for this kind of watercolour painting since they emphasize progressing from the large, negative shapes to the sharp positive shapes in the foreground. Further, when the wet-into-wet technique is used with other methods in the same painting, it is essential to carry out the wet-into-wet painting first. Once the sheet of paper has been partly covered with colour and allowed to dry again, its uniform receptiveness to water declines and there is less control over the moist surface. The wet-into-wet watercolours technique has the potential for great flexibility. For example, “colour can be charged into colour as heavily as mud” (Brandt 76), however unlike wash-on-wash, each grain settles into place on the paper, and a muddy effect does not result. This is seen in the artist’s watercolour painting below in Fig.7. Shapes may blend into other shapes thereby losing their definition, but it is compensated for by an increase in cohesiveness of the entire picture. Fig.7. Mud Puddle, Alviso, 1969 by Rex Brandt (Californiawatercolour.com (b), 2011) Brandt: From Cubist Abstraction, Abstract Expressionism to Realism Graduating from the University at Berkeley where he learnt abstract expressionism, Brandt merged it with his original style of realistic representation. The astounding balance between the two styles that he created, placed him in a unique position in comparison with his contemporary artists who used pure representational or abstract design. An example of Cubist Abstraction is seen in Brandt’s watercolor painting San Diego, 1970, Fig.8 below. Characteristically, sunlight falls on the city in curved and straight swathes of light. The effect of a stained glass window is produced with the images delineated in patches and rectangles of deep as well as luminiscent colours. Fig.8. San Diego, 1970 by Rex Brandt (Californiawatercolor.com (c), 2011) Rex Brandt’s work ranging through various genres of art had some common elements and themes to distinguish them. Depending on the composition he was creating, he used the most appropriate style for it. However, as stated by art Historian Janice Lovoos, he created spontaneous works that went beyond planning, and appeared to take new life on the paper. Thus, the paintings are flawless, and the compositions appear to have been dropped on the surface of the picture plane unexpectedly. At the same time, the correct juxtapositions of shapes and colours are created, with the base white paper sparkling through (Kiebala, 2011). Conclusion This paper has highlighted the watercolour paintings of Rex Brandt, and examined the use of processes and materials in the artist’s works. Using the wash-on-wash or the wet-into-wet techniques, Brandt developed a unique style incorporating realistic representation of scenes with Cubist Abstraction and Abstract Expressionism. Brandt identified himself with the scene he painted and used his five senses to grasp the setting and create the painting accordingly. His works were characterized with a symbolic use of the sun representing a flow of light into the composition. The sun and the play of light played an important role in his works, as did contrasting sweeps of bold colours against the gleam of the white paper used as base. Thus, the white paper used for painting had to be selected carefully, and its whiteness left uncovered by watercolours at the required parts of the composition. This helped to create highlights and accents of white on the picture. With the help of soft brush strokes and hard edges defining essential shapes, Brandt drew the viewer’s eye towards the focal point of the picture. Additionally, the artist juxtaposed nature’s beauty with man-made structures such as buildings and telephone lines, thus depicting the reality of everyday life. Most of the artist’s compositions used the beaches and sea at South California as the muse. He successfully reflected the fun and carefree happiness of time spent on the beach, as well as the mid-twentieth century’s simple approach to life and living. This underlying theme can be considered as the artist’s legacy to the world. Works Cited Artnet. Evening’s catch from the wharf. Artnet. (2011). Retrievedon 21st March, 2011 from: http://www.artnet.com/artists/lotdetailpage.aspx?lot_id=DE7DE3A1A92EF9E8F4893485557B0833 Bonhams. California and American paintings and sculpture. (2007). Retrieved on 21st March, 2011 from: http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh/WService=wslive_pub/pubweb/publicSite.r?sContinent=USA&screen=catalogue&iSaleNo=15416&iSaleLotNo=264 Brandt, Rex. The winning ways of watercolor: Basic techniques and methods of transparent watercolor in twenty lessons. California: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. (1973). Brandt (a), Rex. Watercolour techniques and methods. California: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. (1977). Brandt (b), Rex. The composition of landscape painting: The dynamic integration of graphic elements from land and sea for expression. The United States of America: Press of the Rex Brandt School. (1959). California Watercolour (1). August at South Beach by Rex Brandt. (2011). Retrieved on 22nd March, 2011 from: http://www.californiawatercolor.com/paintings/rex_brandt/august_at_south_beach/?ret=/paintings/rex_brandt/ California Watercolour (2). Mid Morning Balboa, 1973 by Rex Brandt. (2011). Retrieved on 22nd March, 2011 from: http://www.californiawatercolor.com/paintings/rex_brandt/mid_morning_balboa_1973/?ret=/paintings/rex_brandt/ California Watercolour (3). Newport Jetty by Rex Brandt. (2011). Retrieved on 22nd March, 2011 from: http://www.californiawatercolor.com/paintings/rex_brandt/newport_jetty/?ret=/paintings/rex_brandt/ Californiawatercolor.com. (a). On the Way to La Cresta (1981) by Rex Brandt. (2011). Retrieved on 22nd March, 2011 from: http://www.californiawatercolor.com/paintings/rex_brandt/on_the_way_to_la_cresta_1981/?ret=/paintings/rex_brandt/ Californiawatercolor.com. (b). Mud Puddle, Alviso, 1969 by Rex Brandt. (2011). Retrieved on 22nd March, 2011 from: http://www.californiawatercolor.com/paintings/rex_brandt/mud_puddle_alviso_1969/?ret=/paintings/rex_brandt/ Californiawatercolor.com. (c). San Diego, 1970 by Rex Brandt. (2011). Retrieved on 22nd March, 2011 from: http://www.californiawatercolor.com/paintings/rex_brandt/san_diego_1970/?ret=/paintings/rex_brandt/ Dominik, Janet B. The California Water Color Society: Genesis of an American style. (2001). Retrieved on 23rd March, 2011 from: http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/3aa/3aa50.htm Kiebala, Kate. Rex Brandt (1914-2000): California watercolorist. Sullivan Goss: An American Gallery. (2011), Retrieved on 21st March, 2011 from: http://www.sullivangoss.com/rex_Brandt/ Read More