Drawing Influence In Art

Drawing inspiration/influence is a particularly tricky situation, because as artists we feel this overarching desire—nay, need—to leave a permanent and unique stain on the world. If that stain resembles too closely one that came before it, then where is the ingenuity in that? This being the case, it is impossible to make anything of merit without being at least subconsciously influenced. Only upon realizing this fact and embracing it is an artist able to fully and successfully utilize the arts as an avenue of expression. I find the works of Egon Schiele/the European Expressionists, Stephen de Staebler, Giacometti, Emma Rodgers, and Modigliani to be of utmost influence in my own work. The elongated figures of Giacometti (image 1) and de Staebler (image 2) have always impressed me, as they seem to both defy gravity and bear firm roots …show more content…
From a young age I 've always obsessed over the subtly grotesque, and the most direct method for conveying that is through the figure, being that all relevant members of humanity possess their own bodies. Seeing the body in a distorted, uncomfortable, or altered fashion causes immediate visceral response, known as the Uncanny Valley. According to Universal Principles of Design, the Uncanny Valley is defined as that zone between abstract and realistic where depictions of the figure are considered repulsive to human viewers. (Lidwell, Holden, and Butler, 2015). Depicting the figure in a subjective perspective, distorted for evocative effect, serves the purpose of exploring curiosity regarding the figure/world interaction and visceral viewer response. Use of the Uncanny Valley and the distorted nude form emphasize the complexity of subjects such as sexual ambiguity, humor, and the juxtaposition of sensuality and the