LEITMOTIFS
Generally subject matter for paint falls into the broad categories of still life, landscape, portraiture, figure and interior. These categories can be broken down again eg, still life may involve a traditional theme or a concept such as Vanitas. At other times a still life may be set up for the patterns of forms it provides. Matisse chose brightly coloured patterned cloth and decorative objects to create an overall sense of patter and shape. Morandi arranged containers that provided a horizontal rhythm of vertical shapes.
A subject can also be based around an idea (concept). Objects can be used as symbols for the idea. The arrangement or placement of the objects in the picture space, use of lighting/tonal range and colour reinforces the idea.
Eg.. A corset, cage fence, keys, locks, gates etc. could portray enclosure, containment or imprisonment.
Maps, compasses, navigation tools, landscapes with harbours, aerial maps suggests travel or discovery.
Never dismiss an idea as unimportant, insubstantial, insignificant, silly, unworthy, or stupid, until it has become an “air-breather” and has seen the light of day. Ideas tried out in-head and summarily banished cannot help you shoulder the burden of your next “bad” or good idea.
Books: What type of characters, images and plot lines typify the books you return to?
Music: What is the common tone of the music you chronically listen to is melody, rhythm, or lyric more important to you. Do you identify with CD covers and video clips
Clothing: Is there a particular style or period of clothing that you find interesting or fascinating
Mass Media/Pop Culture: What images from mass media, if any, do you collect? Which images fascinate, delight, or appall you?
Plays and Film: Do you gravitate towards small or large films? Is cinematography or script more important? (See books) Do you enjoy the stylized suspension of disbelief of the theatre?
Architecture: Exterior or interior? Modern, postmodern, classical, historical, primitive?
Personal environment: What sort of objects and images do you surround yourself with? What colours, shapes, forms textures?
The Natural World: Do you prefer forest, mountain, plain, river, lake, ocean, arid, tropical, or temperate, the molecular world, plants
Art: Do you gravitate to representational or abstract. Contemporary or historical…. Which “schools”? Narrative, allegorical? Western? Non Western? Figural, landscape, still life? Conceptual or retinal?
Other Potential sources: science, medicine, religion, psychology, crime, sports, technology, fashion, spectacle, anomalous or normative phenomenon, circus/carnival culture, mass/fringe media, history, food, artificial intelligence, digital and analogical imaging, ordering systems and methods from any disciplines (i.e. dance, mathematics, music, fractals).
Current human rights and Environmental Issues Global warming, environmental waste, child slavery, generation and gender issues, natural disasters,
