Leonid+Afremov

=__ Leonid Afremov __=

Group Members: Anna Kratochvil, Abigail Scantlin, and Ashlynn Fisher Ashlynn Fisher was absent for 4 days

VENICE GRAND CANAL

=__**First Impressions**__=

The picture looks like it takes place in the evening. It has a very calming and beautiful feel to the image. The water is painted very still so it makes the picture look peaceful and the area undisturbed. The artist used many short brush strokes and colors to make the picture look like a sunset is casting light on the entire image. The shading gives the picture dimension and character. The way the picture is painted makes it look very well blended, but when you look very close short marks that are close in color to give it a blended effect. The boats, buildings, and river all go back to a perspective point to make it look much more realistic. In a lot of his pictures Leonid uses white paint to makes the painting look like there are many bright lights in it. He also uses thick oil paints the help add texture to the picture.This picture looks like it is in Venice, but I wonder what the significance of the place is to him

=__**Second Impressions**__=

I learned that in college Afremov studied French Impressionists, so much of his early works were/are influenced by french impressionism. When comparing this work the that of the Impressionists, I can see that similarities in the vibrant colors and his techniques of using short blended brush strokes. They both also use lost of textured oil paints in their pictures. He has also been painting since age 14, so since he has been painting for he has developed a very distinct style that you can throughout all of his works. He also loved to travel and paint pictures inspired by his destinations, and this particular painting was inspired by his vacation to the Venice Grand Canal, which is what I suspected. His favorite time of day to paint pictures during/ of is the evening because it naturally cast a colorful glow over everything and he loves to paint vivid colors as part of his style.



TROPICAL NIGHT =__ First Impressions __=

I notice from this picture and some of his other pieces that he likes to use a lot color in his pictures. The bright colors give the pictures a happy tone. The water is painted to look very still and calm. The picture may have been inspired by where he lives/ was living at the time. The buildings look like the buildings lining the beaches of Los Angeles. The yellow color automatically draws your eye to them. I see a sunset. It looks like he uses oil paint to create texture. This looks like a reflective beach. I think rainbow colors mean something to this man.I like the poles on the boardwalk because it reminds me of times in Las Angeles. This has very small, close together houses which might represent poverty.I can see people walking in the far distance. The beach houses have a dirty tint.

=__**Second Impressions**__=

Leonid had a time in his teenage days when he had a bad kidney issue after he came out if this his paintings began to blossom and I think the reason he paints with all theses colors is him pursuing his happiness after he came out of these dark days. Before 2002 Leonid was selling paintings in Russia and Israel, and later moved to the United States and began selling paintings. At first it was a rough start but eventually he got customers and his art became more liked and popular. These beach houses probably resemble when he first moved to Florida and having to sell paintings on beaches and outdoor areas on streets when he moved. This painting may bring back memories that are not sad to him, but happy to remember those times back in his less popular days and all the hard work he went through to get where he is now.

PARIS OF MY DREAMS

=__**First Impressons**__=

The blending is very well done. I think the shading gives the picture depth, as well as the way the Eiffel Tower is in the background. When you look at the picture, since the Eiffel Tower is right in the center, you notice it right away. Maybe he drew this when he was in Paris and he got inspiration. Those are probably his favorite colors or they remind him of a good memory and that's why he uses lots of colors in all his pictures. I like how he made the sky with the dots and then blended them. I can see cars headlights in the background of the picture. I could tell that it was night time due to the colors he used in the picture. I can tell he likes to draw reflections because I noticed in a lot of his pictures he has bodies of water with reflections in them. Even though his pictures have different subjects, they all use similar techniques. = = =__**Second Impressions**__=

Leonid loves to travel all over the world, especially in his painting career. I think this picture may have been painted in Paris while he was traveling or it was taken after he visited Paris and he just thought it was beautiful. Paris is the city of love so maybe he drew a picture of the Eiffel Tower in paris while remembering these memories. He also may have taken the trip to France because he loves French Impressionism since he studied it in school. He also loves the bright colors and pop his paintings bring so that may have made things of Paris and all the excitement and love in that city. Leonid’s painting are all based off memories and emotions this picture is probably reflections his happy times when you see the bright colorful strokes and it is meant to spark a joyful emotion in you when you look at it.

=__**Reflection**__=

We feel like it is most important to note that Leonid Afremov doesn’t like to paint political paintings that have deeper meanings and could be controversial, he prefers to paint cheerful pictures that only leave you with merry feelings, and remind him of good things he has personally experienced. Someone in the future might believe that the pictures all look like very peaceful quiet places and they depict a love story. I think they would also recognize his techniques that are very different from many other modern artists these days. If we could ask one question to Leonid that wasn’t answered by our research we would ask him what his favorite painting that he has painted is and what it means to him. We feel like this question would give us a deeper understanding of his personality and him as a person and would also be a fun trivial fact to know. We feel like our strongest section was our first impressions because we were able to make inferences and guess for ourselves what his paintings were about, which turned out to be easy for us. We were able to figure out on our own that his pictures are painted with bright colors to represent a happy feeling and good memories. We thought many of the places where events from times in his past had to do with his paintings, we also thought he has a important relationship because he has many pictures of relationships. Our weakest part was picking pictures that were unique from one another because all of Afremov paintings are very similar. With more different pictures we would have been able to have more varied second impressions, we would have gotten to see a wider range of his art abilities, and our page overall would be more informative.

=__**Sources**__=

“Leonid Afremov Online Gallery.” Leonid Afremov, afremov.com/.