the making

 
 
 
 

The making of the Version of the Rocks 'art version or replica?'

Dimensions and Proportions

The VOTR center piece art work is exactly 78.625" x 47.5". The side panels of the VOTR are 24.75" x 51.75".

Proportions are the exact same by my eye. I do not try to instrumentally calculate the human figures, Christ and angels because they are made by feeling and expression - the only way according to me.

Creating the Figures Characteristics

The Virgin of the Rocks by da Vinci has very beautiful looking figures in the art.  The Angel has sharp facial features with pouting style lips and curly brown hair.  Mary has a mothering appearance on her face as well as by her over looking of all the figures - angel and two children. 

I paint the faces my own way.  I used cadmium yellows and titanium whites to make a face by colors, shades and tints.  On the angel's face, I give her head a mascara effect which enhances the features of the eyes nose, lips and cheeks.  I copy this process onto the children and their faces look like their keeper - because they're all younger aged, unifying beauty by artistic process of tri color painting of the flesh.  Mary has no 'mascara' and it is due to her god given enchanting beauty as she already is the highest position in the holy family at the time of the composition's portrayal.

Rumors & Facts

The Virgin of the Rocks was commissioned by the confraternity of the Immaculate Conception. The work was finished in 1486 and, by history,not accepted. By the composition, the work was believed to be anti-Christian from the symbolism of the phantom head that Mary holds and Uriel cuts at the neck by her hand. The beliefs written before in this article are the basis of the Virgin of the Rocks da Vinci Code.

The original Virgin of the Rocks is actually two versions - original painting in the Louvre, Paris and 3 paintings in the London National Gallery.  I have completed, to my current expectations, the center panel of the Virgin of the Rocks.  I plan to intricately detail the center painting when all three panels have been version painted upon canvas.  My version of the original painting is dimensionally equal to the original wooden panels.  The difference, so far, is by my own use of oil on canvas in place of wooden surface.

Color

The Virgin of the Rocks is a painting originally made by Leonardo da Vinci in the year 1483-86.  There are two Virgin of the Rock paintings – one in the Louvre, Paris, France and one at the London National Gallery, England.  The original is at the Louvre.  The virgin of the composition is Mary, mother of Jesus.  Mary is also known as Madonna and hence the alter artwork title, Madonna of the Rocks.

I paint the oil on canvas shown above.  In my version of the study of the Virgin of the Rocks, I take just but one month to get to this dynamic by color and value, likeness and study, version and own depiction of the Virgin of the Rocks.  I did this timeless painting by preparing drawings and making a preliminary painting of smaller stature.

The likeness to the original Virgin of the Rocks is very close by representation and very far by color scheme and figure faces.  I am by no means an imposter.  As I am on the final stages of this painting, I leave only but the floral which in my painting will be bright yellow with green edges.  The floral will tie together to blocky shapes by coverage.

As one can see in my painting, the figures are all different by color value of the faces, but alike by color values of the entire figure – different ways to represent the unification of the color value and the balance that is meant by unification.  Even recently discovered by myself are the dark to light values of the wings balance by the dark to light values of the water.

Back to the floral for a paragraph.  There is a hell of a lot of floral in this painting – approximately 30 – 40% of the canvas area.  Since there are to be so much yellow and green little blends that cover the rough lines of colors black to deep purple, I consider myself finished with the painting up to the point of the floral.  Finally, I use my own bright colors to exemplify the composition to how I like it – not if  it will be liked, also unified by color.

The Individuality of Version or Replica?

The Virgin of the Rocks are paintings by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15^th century, Italy.  I also paint the Virgin of the Rocks by the same representative figures and composition arrangement.  But, I have one small detail different than all other version – or Virgins.  The center painting of my art work is after the first painted Virgin of the Rocks which is on show in the Louvre, Paris.  My two side panels to the Virgin of the Rocks are after the Virgin of the Rocks on show in the National Gallery of London.  The fact that de Predis was commissioned  to paint the side panels to Virgin of the Rocks, I have painted the entire work myself.