Gerhard Richter Museum Visit

There were many displays of art the caught my eye but for some reason I couldn't get my mind off of one. Gerhard Richter's Seascape Oil on canvas. This painting was captivating and almost life life. I felt like I was standing on the edge of the ocean, staring into the moon light. I know that there are many different forms and t

echniques

that go into making a piece of art like this. which is why I chose Gerhard Richter's oil on canvas Seascape.

Line ― There is an horizontal horizon line that defines the ocean. There are also all sizes of lines in the waves themselves that help define the roughness of the ocean. He uses clouds to utilize the brightness of the full moon.

Shape ― The main shapes in this painting are circles. The focus of the painting is the bright moon that is a full circle. The moon is then surrounded by clouds that also take a circle formation. The painting is very volumetric and organic making you feel like you are standing at the edge of the ocean on a dark windy night. The ocean is huge compared to the moon because the moon is off in the distance. I think the artist placed the moon where he wanted eyes to wonder, but yet you still look at the whole painting.

Space ― Every space in this painting is filled with a shape or color which makes the painting full. I believe the painting is in proportion with our size. The artist creates depth with everything. Clouds, moon in the distance, waves crashing up close.

Light ― The natural light applied is the light shinning from the moon, without the moon complete darkness would overcome the painting. The shadows that are created by the moonlight seem to be true to life and are depicted by the clouds and shadows that are surrounding. The light is brightest close to the moon and spreads out getting darker the further is gets away. Therefore making the depth of the light move towards the moon where the artist wants your eyes to wonder.

Color ― The main colors of this painting are black and grey tones with the white from the moon and waves. I believe Richter chose to use these colors in order to set a certain calm mood for the observer. Something about the moon shinning with waves crashing on a calm night is very relaxing and calming. The artist defiantly achieved that with this painting. Very cool colors were used for all objects (waves, clouds, moon) making the painting dark. Atmospheric perspective is utilized with the cool colors creating full background of clouds that kind of blurr the distance.

Texture ― The actual texture of this painting is smooth, made with oil on canvas but the implied is some what of a mixture with the waves coming across as rough and the clouds smooth.

There are many different Art Principles used by Gerhard Richter.

Balance ― The balance in this painting is obvious. There is a mixture of grey tones that balance the night sky and curved lines which create the waves and make them come across as moving and crashing so you know it wasn’t a calm night, but there is a straight horizontal line that displays the horizon.

Emphasis ― your eyes are defiantly drawn to the moon at first in this piece of art. But there are other point of interest as well like the wave crashing up front or the horizon in the distance.

Rhythm ― The overall rhythm is seen mainly in the waves because of the current that is passed through them and the shadowing effect that is used.

Media and Technique

The painting is two dimensional.

Painting- The paint used for this particular painting was oil making it a little easier to work with and the strokes even and very well blended. Smooth textures were created with the oil making the whole painting come off as smooth as well, creating straight and curved lines with a shine to them caused from the light of the sun. I believe the art looks the same as the day created. Oil paint tends to store and keep better than other forms.