The Idea of Executing the Paintbrush

The article by ShimamotoShozo depicts the relationship that a paintbrush and a paint have possessed since time immemorial. The writer paints a picture of how the two tools have been significant to man in painting pictures. Shimamoto begins by creating a vivid picture of how the two instruments, the paintbrush, and paint, should always be used together to form a picture or an image. The writer further provides examples of how mathematics would use paint and a paintbrush to describe numbers. Shimamoto further expounds on the evolution of using the two tools as a means to communicate with the world. He points out that “painting was no longer about drawing a line on a canvas, but an expression of tone and color.” (92). The means of gouache and tempera became apparent past the era of Renaissance and painters such as Da Vinci and Poussin used the two tools to create tone and color. As a result, Shimamoto describes the evolution of paint from a water-based content to an oil-based content. The latter became more prominent in time creating different textures on canvas (92). Painters such as Pissarro, Van Gogh and Soutine were adamant in using oil-based paint. But, Shimamoto indicates that the duet between the color and the paintbrush could not satisfy the growing need to improve on the image expressed on canvas (92). As a result, artists such as Utrillo and Vlaminck digressed into using knives instead of paintbrushes. These events marked the rebellion in the use of paint. The liberation set forth a rebellious streak where artists used different forms of paints and ‘paintbrushes’ to reproduce the artist’s image. Consequently, it reduced paint as a medium to the expression of the artist’s expert communication of thought. Since then, different forms of paint and paintbrushes being used such as the abacus, oil-paper umbrella, toys, bare feet and rollers among others. The consequence is that the basis of painting no longer relies on conventional methods (93).

The intended audience of the article is painters and artists whose passion lies in painting on canvas. According to Shimamoto, the evolution in painting techniques requires an intimate understanding as to why painters no longer rely on conventional tools of paint and paintbrushes. In other words, Shimamoto provides a clear picture of the evolution in painting. Therefore, the main argument of the content by Shimamoto is a representation of the development and rebellion of painting techniques and the current techniques being used. The author’s main idea is to symbolize the different methods in use including those that are used instead of paint including oil-based paints for texture and other tools such as feet, rollers, and cannon among others for painting. ShimamotoShozo wrote this piece as a means to discover the evolution in art. I relate to what the writer intends to convey to the reader. In the modern era, art no longer relies on traditional paint and paintbrushes duet, but this has evolved into aspects of using other tools such as coins or hands. For instance, I bought a painting from a local artist who claimed to have used his hands to paint on the canvas of an abstract image. It is therefore of the opinion that art is no longer about the tools used but, the technique used to convey the message of the artists’ thoughts or imagery.

 

Work Cited

Shozo, Shimamoto. The Idea of Executing the Paintbrush. The Experimental Workshop and the Gutai Art Association. 1957. 92-93

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