Content Description
Vincent van Gogh: Straight from the Heart was created by an artist for artists and art lovers alike with special emphasis on Vincent's working processes and his philosophical point of view as well as the process of becoming an artist. This CD Rom is recommended as a supplement to college art history studies as well as a general introduction to the real Vincent van Gogh for any serious art lover and Van Gogh lover in particular.
CD Rom features:
- The most inspiring CD Rom on any artist to date
- Contains over 4 hours of spoken letters from Vincent to Theo
- Over 450 paintings in color, 350 drawings and over 100 photos
illustrate the spoken text - Extensive interactivity used to illustrate Vincent's theories
and working processes - Chronology of his life
- Easy to use software, a simple manual is included in the insert
During the four hours of spoken letters you will follow Vincent through his life as he expresses his ideas and thoughts about art history, the art of his times, then current art theories, fellow artists and the day to day problems every aspiring artist faces. As you listen to his words you will see the actual works he is referring to in those letters to Theo. If the actual works aren't identifiable works that are stylistically similar are used to illustrate the text.
You will be able to cross reference as you listen and gain an understanding of the technical issues Vincent was concerned with through the interactive devices in the program. These interactive devices have been incorporated into the CD Rom specifically to enhance the users understanding of Vincent's working methods and artistic philosophy. His ideas about style, color, perspective and composition are among the aspects of his work that are highlighted by these devices.
You are encouraged to interpret Vincent's words yourself for there is no third party commentary. In effect the user becomes the recipient of the letters instead of Theo.
While it is helpful to hear comments by "authorities" I felt, as I read the letters for the first time, that the powerful and personal thoughts Vincent was expressing touched me in such a deep and personal way that I did not want "commentary" to interfere with my own interpretation of Vincent's words as they related to me and my life as an aspiring artist. And without the commentary I felt a closer and more profound bond with Vincent the man and the artist.
Furthermore, I related to the insights Vincent was having because as a developing artist I was having many of the same insights and experiences, many of which, I realized were universal to the life of an artist. I did not want" commentary" to get in the way of the inspiration I felt (as most everyone) feels when they read his thoughts on art, life, society religion and literature. This is partlyvwhat I wanted to happen with the user of this CD Rom.
Purpose
This CD Rom which has taken over 3 years to develope was created by an artist for artists and art lovers alike with special emphasis on Vincent's working processes and his philosophical point of view as well as the process of becoming an artist.
The inspiration for this work came as a result of developers knowledge of multimedia software, his knowledge of Vincent van Gogh and long learning experience he has had with the letters to Theo and his own experiences as a struggling artist. In addition to this, as a working artist Christopher Engel has a strong desire to share his experience with others interested in one of the world's best loved and greatest artists.
The project was also motivated by the fact that there is no similar product on the market still today that Mr. Engel is aware of and that it is extremely costly to purchase the books one needs to get such a comprehensive picture of Vincent van Gogh and that it is prohibitive for most people (especially artists).
While neither this CD Rom nor any electronic device can be substitute for a beautifully produced and bound art book it is an excellent introduction to the artist and provides a unique and intimate point of view not available in any book today. The developer encourages users to investigate the artist through the many books (The catalog section will contain an extensive bibliography to aid Van Gogh lovers in their investigations.) available and most of all to see the works in museums whenever possible, since the rich colors and textures of Vincent's paintings can only truly be appreciated in the flesh.
This CD Rom be would an excellent supplement to college art history studies as well as a general introduction to the real Vincent van Gogh for any serious art lover and Van Gogh lover in particular.