top of page

Artist's Blog: Fine Art, Reborn

Writer's picture: Alan YearganAlan Yeargan

Updated: Dec 19, 2024


Salutations,

My name is Alan, and I'm a visual artist that is deeply inspired by the old renaissance masters of the art world. My path as an artist has been meticulously planned, driven by a love for the Renaissance’s portrayal of humanity, and is a testament for creating art that lasts longer than all of us.


I’m not just creating art, I’m following a path that I’ve carefully mapped out, as if I had designed my own personal art academy. Each phase of my journey builds on the last, allowing me to (nearly) master different aspects of art, one at a time, before moving forward. This approach mirrors the traditional academic art practice, where artists spent years perfecting foundational skills before advancing. Join me as I walk you through my artistic journey, my inspirations, and what it means to practice academic art in a way that’s both personal and powerful.


The Foundation – Learning Anatomy and Form

My journey really began with a need to put my feelings on paper, but it quickly turned into something more structured. In my early twenties, I dove into the study of anatomy, not just superficially, but with a great intensity, as I was a part of the medical field, and I got to learn how the entire body worked on a daily basis. I wanted to understand the human body from a fundamental, structural level, learning how bones, muscles, and tendons work together to create movement and form.


This phase reflects the essence of academic art. Traditionally, artists start by studying the human body in depth, often with live models or anatomical references, to ensure they can depict it accurately. I took a similar approach, but I did it independently. I was determined to build a solid foundation before moving forward, and this set the stage for the next phase of my journey.


The Progression – Building Skills Methodically

Once I had a solid understanding of anatomy, I moved on to something quite different: chrome drawings. These were all about form and light. I wanted to understand how light interacts with surfaces, how it shapes an object, and how I could use it to create a sense of depth and realism.


For me, this was crucial. I wasn’t just learning to draw; I was learning to see. This concept is central to academic art, training the eye to observe and the hand to replicate what’s observed. If you look close enough everything vibrates with detail. By focusing on light and form, I was preparing myself for more complex compositions. This phase gave me a profound understanding of how to create a three-dimensional effect on a two-dimensional surface, a skill I would carry forward into my later work.


Mastering Portraits and Capturing Spirit

With anatomy and light under my belt, I turned my attention to portraiture. Now, this wasn’t about creating idealized or stylized portraits; I wanted to capture the essence, the spirit, and the emotion of my subjects. I approached each portrait as an opportunity to understand not just how a person looked, but to get a chance to understand who they were.


My portraits became more than studies in likeness, they were studies in character. This approach mirrors the Renaissance masters, who believed that a portrait should capture the soul of the sitter, not just their physical appearance. By focusing on these subtle qualities, I was training myself to bring out the humanity in my work, a skill that would prove essential in later pieces.


The Bird Phase – Preparation for Angels

After mastering portraits, I moved into an entirely new subject: birds. This phase was unexpected, yet essential. Birds allowed me to focus on anatomy again, but with a twist. I wanted to understand the structure of wings, the way they moved, and the way they were built. This, as it turned out, was in preparation for something I’d been working toward for a long time: creating angelic figures.


For me, this phase was about perfecting the details. I wanted my depictions of wings to feel anatomically accurate, almost as if they could lift a figure off the ground. This step reflects the planning and foresight that characterize my journey. I wasn’t just creating for the sake of creating; I was building a skill set that would allow me to tackle complex compositions later on. It’s this methodical approach that makes my work so powerful. Each piece is part of a larger vision.


The Love for Renaissance Art and Its Ideals

My work is deeply inspired by the Renaissance, and it’s not hard to see why. The Renaissance was a time when artists were committed to both technical mastery and the exploration of humanity. I feel a profound connection to this era, especially to artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Veronese, who sought to perfectly capture the beauty and complexity of the human experience.


For me, art isn’t just about creating beautiful images. It’s about connecting with people, telling stories, and exploring universal themes. I believe that art should resonate on a human level, that it should provoke thought and emotion, and that it should endure. That’s why I strictly use archival, acid-free, and lightfast materials (so my work will last for generations). I’m creating pieces that, much like the art of the Renaissance, are designed to outlast me, to be part of a dialogue that spans across time.


The Philosophy of Art and Rejecting Commercialization

Another aspect of my journey that I’m passionate about is the role of art in society. I reject the idea of creating art purely for profit. I believe that money being involved in the creative process inherently takes away from the subject matter. I believe that art is something sacred, something that should connect with people on a deeper level. For me, art is a legacy, not a commodity.


This philosophy is reflected in everything I do. I’m meticulous about my process, using only the highest-quality materials, and I’m careful about how I price my work. I want to make sure that those who connect with my art have the chance to own it, but I’m not willing to compromise my values to make a sale. In a world that often feels driven by commercial interests, my commitment to authenticity is something that truly sets my work apart.


Crafting a Legacy and Moving Forward

So where do I go from here? As someone who’s essentially practicing academic art on my own terms, I’ve built a foundation that is just now allowing me to create complex masterpieces with meaningful subjects. It's taken a long time, but I have worked hard to get here. I'm ready to expose my art to the world in ways I wouldn't have before.

Thank you for joining me today.


Until next time,

A

13 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page