The first painting is completely symmetrical and balanced. The focal point seems the be the cross that is formed with the lack of color. From there, my eye follows the white line to the colors that surround it. The brush strokes make it seem more like a painting than an actual flag, which is what I intended to do. There are visible brush strokes which gives the painting actual texture and some depth. There is contrast between the color and the negative space of the "x." Bright colors are used but they also give the painting a cool feeling as well. When I decided to do this project, I knew I wanted to use the same ideas of Jasper Johns', but switch it up slightly. When I changed the colors, I was able to create a piece that did not have a meaning completely known to the viewer. Since the colors are changed, this is not the actual flag of Jamaica or even America, leaving the meaning of this piece open to interpretation.
The second painting is not symmetrical but definitely has a sense of balance. It is the American flag's design but with the colors of the Jamaican flag. The focal point are the stars, which are white with a black background. From there, my eyes go to the stripes from the top to bottom. With the repeating nature of the stars and stripes, this painting has a sense of rhythm. There are visible brush strokes which gives the painting a sense of texture and depth. When I decided to do this painting in particular, I wanted to achieve something that Johns was not able to. With his original piece, it was easy to get caught up in the original design of the flag. With my piece, you have to really think about what it could mean. With the new colors, I see it as more of an actual piece of art rather than just an everyday image common to American people.
After completing this project, I definitely see flags as more than just a symbol to represent a country. Once you take them out of their original form, the art behind them really comes through. That is what I wanted to achieve and I was glad I was able to accomplish this.
