The aim of this series of three paintings was to convey atmosphere and narrative, two things which greatly interest me in artwork. As a keen fan of cinema and particularly the film noir genre I set out to create paintings that would work in a similar way to a still from a film of this genre, the idea being that there would be no need to use captions or moving image to convey my simple narrative.
Over the course of the three paintings we see a figure first light a cigarette, then proceed to walk down the street where we finally we see the figure's hand preparing to discard the almost finished cigarette. This is a very straight forward series of images and a very straight forward narrative. I believe the key to the series is that it leaves the identity of the figure and his purpose completely to the imagination of a viewer. The paintings are intended to be viewed as a sequence but any one of them could be viewed individually and not seem strange. The three images are also capped by black on either side, I find this adds to the sense of atmosphere and drama and gives the series a feeling of completion.
The aim I had was to master a technique and style to paint in while using this simple series and to then continue with a view to produce a larger series and a more complex narrative in the future. The images themselves were taken from photographs I produced on location using a model. The idea of taking photographs at night time for a night scene and on location is a homage to the noir films of the 30's and 40's which would use this technique to achieve the atmospheric tension that is ever present within their films. Tailoring the correct lighting conditions to cast shadow and create the correct mood gave me a real feel for the subject matter and the style and I think this helped me to achieve the desired effects when painting the pieces.
In terms of composition each of the three paintings mirrors a trademark camera angle used in classic film noir. The first scene is captured from below eye level looking up at its subject, a classic angle used to build tension and atmosphere. The second is what is known as a 'Dutch' angle; in this the horizon is set at an angle to the camera or viewer, again creating tension and also confusion. The third is a wide angle, usually used to capture a subject and their surroundings in the distance however I have employed it to fill a close up shot.
The technique of painting I used while painting was somewhat improvised, I went with what felt natural and aimed to mimic my photography. As I progressed with the first painting I decided that the figure should be viewed in clarity with attention to detail whilst the background should remain more impressionistic, more of a blur. This meant that the features of the cityscape were less prominent and it became more faceless; seemingly more vast and overpowering. This feeling is particularly prominent in the second painting.
