Personal Illustrations 1 2014

This illustration, "Personal Illustrations 1", was made in the 20th century by Robert Sammelin. The figure in the foreground, obscured by shadows and wrapped in layers of cloth, evokes a sense of mystery and unease. You can almost feel the dryness of the air, and the grit of the sand. I wonder if Sammelin worked on this illustration over many sessions, coming back to it and adjusting the tones, building layer upon layer to get this strange atmosphere. The simple color scheme is a brilliant way of creating tension in a painting, or any artwork really. The muted pink tones feel stark and alienating, offering a strange and unsettling background for the figure. The stark contrast between the dark figure and the pink ground is so effective. The artist’s hand is evident in the linework, which seems both spontaneous and controlled. There’s a rhythm to how the figure is put together. The longer you look, the more you see!