The late Myron Barnstone may not have invented the word ‘aspective’ but he certainly expanded and cemented its meaning.
The word ‘
The Ancient Egyptians depicted the most recognizable aspects of things.
The Egyptians depicted various parts of their subjects to provide the most recognizable information. The head is shown in profile to depict the nose, ear, and mouth better. The eye from the front, also shoulders are viewed from the front to show both sides. The lower body in profile for a better buttock. Feet in profile with the big toe moved to the outside.
Myron used this term often, and it should be in every artist’s wheelhouse. It is a compound word which combines both aspect and perspective.
His mantra was that no master draughtsmen ever drew what they saw; they portrayed what they knew about the subject at hand and deployed the pneumatic devices needed to create the strongest illusion.
His mantra was that no master draughtsmen ever drew what they saw; they portrayed what they knew about the subject at hand and deployed the pneumatic devices needed to create the strongest illusion.
They understood that specific aspects of the subject are essential to its identity.
This botanical drawing by one of Myron’s students’ isolates and identifies and identifies the ‘aspective’ view of each leaf. Note that in many cases one sees multiple sides. This also makes one aware of zoning creating overlaps and intersections.
Myron often used botanical drawings to demonstrate the concept of an aspective view. He pontificatificated that a flat view of a leaf or pedal was a non-descriptive aspective view. He pointed out that the Fantin-Latours of the world culled their arrangements to contain leaves and pedals that contained multiple planar aspects. Leaves that curled and twisted to revealing both their front and backside. Thus creating dimension and movement.
Henri Fantin-Latour is often used to illustrate this process of selection. The Master artist does not take nature at face value they alter it to suit their needs. They would not paint every leaf or peddle but would select or invent those with good ‘aspective’ views.
Another excellent example of selecting the best ‘aspective’ views can be found in the botanical works of Eugene Grasset. Gresset was a contemporary of Henri’s which is evidence that these principles were broadly understood by Master Painters at that time.
The bottom line here is that Myron was spot on with his assessment that the Master Artist does not draw what is in front of their eyes but what is contained in their brain.
He taught these valuable principles at his private school (BARNSTONE STUDIOS) in Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania for over thirty-five years providing a singular tour-de-force against the ‘Observational Realist’ movement. Myron’s program is available at BarnstoneStudios.com
Myron knew that no master artist ever confined themselves to what they saw, and we are in total concurrence.