Corresponding Author: Rohail
Rahat
E-mail: [email protected]
INTRODUCTION
Since childhood, man has been greatly influenced by
the beauty of landscapes and portraits in the form of various kinds of
paintings and scriptures (Langford, 2013). Therefore, my first project is based on the
reflection of my inner self and afterthoughts on a canvas and what I feel about
the natural scenes and sceneries. The portrait and reflection on the canvas
describe the story of life and thoughts. I have painted so many portraits, but
this portrait is different from all of them. The land, sky, trees, grass, and
some other attractive figures all are natural things that have attracted a
person, and I have tried to reflect emotions and thoughts in the form of a portrait.
First, the ideas come into my mind, and then I put them on the canvas as an
image. The process of thinking and imaging while drawing any portrait is very
important and should be taken care of as Shakti Gawain, in his book Reflections
in the Light: Daily Thoughts and Affirmations mentions that "Sit or lie
down in a comfortable position. Take a few long, slow, deep breaths and relax
your body and mind. Now imagine yourself doing, having, or experiencing
whatever it is that you want" (Gawain, 2016). In this way, the artist can help himself to work
efficiently as he starts believing that "it is already happening, as if it
is true, now. You might see a mental picture of it or get a feeling or a sense
of what it would be like for you if this wish came true. Let yourself enjoy the
experience" (Gawain, 2016).
The artwork tells the viewer that art is everywhere in
nature (Osborne, 2013). If we see the clouds, we can see so many colors of shadows
that change according to the condition of the weather. When the sunlight passes
through the clouds, we can see the clear reflection of clouds in the water, which
becomes a beautiful scene as it attracts the observer. A unique portrait is
produced when sunlight affects the clouds (Minnaert, 2013). The intensity of sunlight makes clear reflections;
in the same way, I have also depicted this scene on canvas through my ability
of art (Gibson & Ewing,
2020). I have reflected thoughts and imagination on the
canvas in the form of a sunlight scene in the water that I have mentioned
above. Reflection indirectly represented afterthoughts in my work. As I like
the landscape very much therefore the painted the landscape in the reflection
of water in the portraits. These portraits are shown in the discussion and
analysis section.
Roy Abraham Varghese, in his famous book There is Life
After Death, points out that the physical existence is also important,
including the imagination, as he states that "The physicality will say
that the idea of being conscious without a physical brain or seeing without a
visual cortex is nonsensical, and so the notion of an afterlife is an oxymoron.
This is clearly where one's worldview kicks in. The same physic list can
neither demonstrate that consciousness is produced by the brain nor begin to
explain the phenomena of the self and conceptual immaterial thought" (Bhattacharya, 2013).
These all are afterthoughts. So, indirectly clouds
reflection in the painting represent three stages I can only think of. Being Muslim,
we believe in life after death, but we don't imagine how that life we will
spend or how it will be that life (Corr et al., 2018). The second artwork is mixed in different mediums on
canvas; in this artwork, a portrait and landscape reflection in the water.
Reflection represented the afterthought, and reflection of the green grass
represented life. In his book Bruce Lee: Artist of Life, John Little states
that "In life, we accept naturally the full reality of what we see and
feel in general with no shadow of a doubt" (Lee, 2018). Philosophy, however, does not accept what life
believes; it strives to convert reality into a problem. The next part of this
assignment discusses the available literature related to the topic. The purpose
of this study is to analyze the results of works of art that are related to the
natural sciences and social self of a painter.
METHOD
This
assignment is carried out using some specific kinds of materials as well as
methods. As far as the elements of materials are concerned, I have used a
canvas on which the oil paints have been used to portray different paintings.
The nature of this research is analytical, as the discussion and analysis are
purely interpreted according to social points of view (Vaismoradi et al., 2013). The portraits have been analyzed within the paradigms
of the concept of afterthoughts. Some articles, books, and opinions related to
my research have been used as secondary data to get a deep understanding of the
topic (Bell et al., 2022). It is also important to mention that this research work
is based on a theoretical perspective, and the nature of the research is purely
qualitative.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This assignment section considers
the interpretations and analysis of afterthoughts about the paintings portrayed
on canvas. It is important to mention that all portraits are depicted on canvas
after the process of imagination and thinking about a particular scene. This
scene is expressed and painted as a reflection of feelings, creativity, and
afterthoughts. Three artworks are portrayed to present the idea and process of
afterthoughts.
The first portrait is about a natural scene on the
canvas in which the reflection of inner thoughts, feelings, emotions, and
afterthoughts have been reflected. The story of life in the form of thoughts is
painted in the first picture. This piece of art is unique compared to the other
paintings. The first portrait is the following:
Figure 1. The portrait that is
reflecting� afterthoughts about a
landscape, water, and clouds
The above picture is the indirect reflection of
afterthoughts painted in water, landscape, and a narrow view of clouds. This
site has always attracted me because some things, such as clouds, beautiful
landscapes, and water reflections, have always been a source of pleasure for a
person. First, I imagined this scene carefully by following the rules of
thinking about something then I put it on a canvas. I believe that the
reflection of anything can be presented as a painting as an act of
afterthought. This portrait can be analyzed symbolically as it gives life's
hidden meanings and realities. In this portrait on the canvas, I have painted
my self-thoughts, expressing my feelings and emotions. The things I see in the
water can be understood as my afterthoughts. I have painted this picture on
canvas because natural landscapes have always attracted me mentally and
physically. I like such kinds of scenes to make my inner self comfortable. I
love such kinds of natural scenes.
(Lynch,
2010), His article entitled Reflections on Water mentions
the same points I have discussed in the above paragraph. He also believes that "Water,
either in dynamic or static form, has an immense attraction for the lover of
nature" (Lynch,
2010). While talking about the importance of water in the
beauty of the landscape, Lynch argues that "the most beautiful landscape
seems scarcely complete without it" (Lynch,
2010). The reflection of landscape or clouds in water fascinates
the artist, so it becomes inevitable for them to create a new kind of world
with specific meanings.
Furthermore, his thesis Spatial
Phenomenon of Reflection Effect in Landscape Design, points out that "water
and light together are endlessly fascinating" (Ure,
2013). Similarly, (Secor,
2013), in his thought-provoking
discussion on the reflections of clouds and landscapes in water, claims that "Water's
quiet reflections add refreshing color and sparkle to your paintings" (Secor,
2013)because "reflections,
subdued by water, have an otherworldly look" (Secor, 2013). An appealing yet innovative
world can be analyzed and embedded with new meanings; these meanings can be
related to the reflection of afterthoughts.
The second portrait, related to the expression and
reflection of my inner feelings and emotions, is also presented as a piece of
art portrayed as afterthoughts. The second portrait is the following:
Figure 2. The portrait reflects
clouds, sky, and trees as afterthoughts with specific meanings
In this portrait, my
afterthoughts are related to different ideas from the first picture and mean
something different. This time the focus is on the sky and clouds compared to
the landscape. The larger area in the form of a sky represents the
afterthoughts of my vast imagination as an artist. It can be said that an
artist's mind possesses a vast degree of imagination compared to other people
in society. Different layers of clouds represent the various thoughts that come
into the mind of an artist. I have added the tree segment because I love
greenery, which is my source of inspiration. Whenever I look at something green,
it relaxes my mind and eyes.
In the round painting, there are clouds and a bit of
grass reflection painted. I have chosen the round canvas to paint clouds'
reflections. The layers of clouds can be easily seen in the painting. There are
three types of cloud layers high-level clouds: cirrocumulus, mid-level clouds:
altocumulus, and low-level clouds: cumulus (Barbieri et al.,
2017). All the clouds are not
created. Equally, some clouds are puffy and sweet, others are grey uniform, and
others are so erratic that the human mind starts to see things (Hamblyn, 2017). I am relation layers of
clouds after the thought of the stages of my life like birth, death, and life
after death.
My third and last portrait reflects my afterthoughts
with particular meanings and symbols. Although the natural touch has been given
in the form of water and my reflection in the water, the most significant part
of this painting is my picture. My third portrait is the following:
Figure 3. The portrait with my
reflection in it represents my afterthoughts symbolically
Like the other two paintings,
this portrait expresses my imagination and afterthoughts, including some touch
of feelings and emotions. The portrait depicts my reflection in the deep water.
My self-reflection in the portrait is presented symbolically because the
reflection of my face in the deep water is not my face but my afterthoughts on
the canvas. The depth of the water is the depth of my thoughts in which I
remain busy almost always. This depth also expresses the deep and long process
of my thinking and imagination about the reality of various things in this
world. From the portrait, it can be observed that the reflection in the water
is not static but dynamic.
The waves in the portrait are symbolically
representing the movement of my life that I am currently spending. As water is
used to grow seeds, plants, and other things in this world, in the same way, my
presence in this world is to help others live a better and happy life.
Similarly, the water in the portrait is dynamic. Therefore, my life is also a
struggle to help people. Like water, I shall never give up and get disappointed
when difficulties come my way as water also faces some stones as a hurdle but
passes through them by changing its course. I also intend to change my
strategies for fulfilling my goals, but I will never give up. One way or the
other, I shall continue to serve people.
CONCLUSION
The story of my life has been depicted
through the portrait and reflection on the canvas. I have painted many
portraits, but this portrait was a little different compared to the other
paintings I have portrayed in my career as a student of art. In the portraits,
the land, sky, trees, grass, and some other attractive figures all are natural
things that have attracted me, and I have tried to reflect my emotions and thoughts
in the form of a portrait. I reflected my thoughts and imagination on the
canvas as a sunlight scene in the water I mentioned above. Reflection
indirectly represented afterthoughts in my work. As I like the landscape very
much, I have painted the landscape in the reflection of water in the portraits.
My first portrait is about a natural scene on the canvas in which my inner
thoughts, feelings, emotions, and afterthoughts have been reflected. The second
portrait, related to the expression and reflection of my feelings and emotions,
is also presented as a piece of art portrayed in the form of afterthoughts. My
third and last portrait also reflects my afterthoughts with some meanings and
symbols. Although the natural touch has been given in the form of water and my
reflection in the water, the most significant part of this painting is my
picture. In short, it can be stated that the process of afterthoughts has great
significance regarding people's feelings and emotions. Art is a great tool to
paint someone's inner reality and mindset.
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