Artist Research: Thomas Hart Benton (composition)

 Thomas Hart Benton (American, 1889-1975) was an artist , muralist ,painter, printmaker.  Young Benton spend his young ages in Washington, he left the school at seventeen and started working as a drawer for newspaper. Next Benton studied art in Chicago in 1907 then after year he moved to Paris to study in Academie Julian. There he started synchromist style of abstract painting experiments with Stanton Macdonald-Wright. In short time Benton met his future wife at the Chelsea Neighborhood Association.

Benton artworks were modernistic and abstract until to early 20 XX century, then  in 1924 he went to Missouri to his sick father, this circumstance influence to finished with modernistic style and instead of this focus to American themes like cotton fields , coal mines, logging cams. In 1934 his self portrait was featured and become cover of Time magazine this circumstances make him famous. Then he was teacher in Art Studies League in New York where Jackson Pollock was one of his students. In 1935 Benton teaching at Art Institute, in 1936 he finished his famous oil painting “Susanna and  the Elders 1938 ,Dine Arts Museum of San Francisco) and Persephone (1938-1939 in Nelson-Atkinson Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO) ,and July Hay 1943, The Metropolian Museum of Art). Moving on he was kicked off from Art Institue in 1941. After II WW he paintings many murals. (Torchia, 2017)

I looked at Benton artworks and I want to use his paintings as inspiration, especially his technique of making colours paintings, the first artwork I would like to discuss is Hollywood painted in 1938

. 

Benton ,.T Hollywood 1937-1938

This artwork is useful and related to my project becouse I would like to make my colours like Benton, another reason is that he creating in same time where I want to create my images. Painting is Colourfull with smooth shadings and the painting telling a story which I want to include in my future paintings. I want to tell a story as him. Looking to the story of Benton artwork I found information in what i which cumstances it was created. Hollywood was created by Benton when he went to Tinseltown in summer 1937. Composition connects few aspects of making movie. The background is related to Old Chicago musical about big fire. (Smartify, 2024) many things on one paintings. I want to move on to another paintings to learn as many as possible techniques and methods as my inspiration for my project.

Doing my reasearch I found mural painted by Benton which is exactly what I need as inspiration, as in work above, colours and shading are in style exactly which I want to use. I never paint in style like that but i want to learn it. As McQuillen, 2017) states when someone walking in to the room staying a front of biggest panel of America Today. Although paintings are familiar and very simple , there are happenings many things.

Thomas Hart Benton’s America Today 1930-1931

I want many elements in my composition and make it looks clearly as Benton did.

Another artwork of Benton is lithograph I know is better to look at paintings ,drawings etc. But this one is black and white depicting train and people exactly is what I want as inspiration. The lithograph is titled Jessie James made by Benton in 1936 

Benton ,.T Jessie James (lithograph) 1936

Jessie James Legend is one of the several stories which Benton chose to show in his project in Capitol building in Missouri’s.  In that scene western Benton wants connects a lot of circumstances in one composition. Jessie James have roots in real stories which is one of famous legends (Emuseum.com, 2021).

Next Benton work was made by ink, watercolor, gouache and graphite on paper. I thought I already have enough information about his technique but after extra research I found this artwork which is more closely to me. After some consideration I thinking I could use this style as inspiration to my project too.

Benton .,T Thursday Night at the Cock-and-Bull. It’s the Maid’s Night Out , 1937

And another Benton artwork this time this time it is a drawing made using graphite, pen , ink, and wash on paper.

Benton ,.T Loading Cotton Onto the Tennessee Belle, 1928

I still have to watch a video of Benton, I will write a reflection after that.

 

(Thomas Hart Benton - The Making of a Mural, 1947)

Benton’s works makes impression on me, especially his technique of shading, colour palette and the number of details on his artworks. This is exactly where I going to look. 

Reference:

Torchia, R. (2017). The Official Website for Thomas Hart Benton. [online] Thomas Hart Benton. Available at: https://www.thomashartbenton.com/ [Accessed 22 Apr. 2025].

Smartify. (2024). Smartify | Hollywood. [online] Available at: https://app.smartify.org/en-GB/objects/thomas-hart-benton-hollywood [Accessed 22 Apr. 2025].

McQuillen, C. (2017). Thomas Hart Benton’s America Today: A Cross-Curricular Lesson Plan. [online] charlesmcquillen.com. Available at: https://charlesmcquillen.com/thomas-hart-benton-america-today-english-language-arts-lesson-plan/ [Accessed 22 Apr. 2025].

Emuseum.com. (2021). Jesse James. [online] Available at: https://reynoldahouse.emuseum.com/objects/71/jesse-james [Accessed 22 Apr. 2025].

Prototype Focus Group

Today I continue session with prototypes, I copied questions from learning zone and I will try to answer questions.

Does it work ? 

-I drew the series of three landscapes showing Koszalin before, after and durning 1945. Before 1945 Koszalin was called Koslin. I drew the main buildings the town hall, the train station and the cathedral. Two of three of this buildings were completely destroyed and after 1945 people build new ones. I think my version of how its looked is work. I used an old photos and did some research about it, it’s not 1 to 1 copied image but the main idea is still there.

Does it look as you hoped? 

-After these three small drawings I talked with my tutor and we decided to draw bigger version using willow charcoal. I made just one already and its still in progress but i can’t wait to see my finished version below i leaving the photo of charcoal drawing.

Is the design working as a whole?

-It’s not finished. But I can’t wait to see final results!

What was the process of making the design?

-First I made a panoramic frame, I also took a panoramic photo to see how its looks. Then I draw first lines using pencils, at the end I redraw everything by ink pens.

How long did take ?

-One drawing 1-2h. I spend a lot of time to thinking about composition and research of photos. I think in the final outcome I will have plan of the composition and photos and I have just to draw. But from the other hand I going to focus on details to looks more professional.

What materials/equipment will you need?
-I’m not sure yet, but I might drew it on canvas. So in this case I will need wooden frames, canvas, willow charcoal, pencils etc

Have you sourced this?
-Some materials like ink pens or willow charcoal I have got but other like for example canvas I could get from DMU.

What will it cost?
-It’s just costing my time and energy.

Which design do you like best?
-I think, its willow charcoal design, its still in progress but I have good expectations.

What would improve it?
-I would improve the details and time spend on it, but to be serious I have to menage my time.

Below I leaving my questions for tomorrow session for my focus group:

1.What do You think about composition?
2.What would you change in the composition, add something ,delete or move it?
3.Which medium I should use and which materials? For example paint or draw using ink pens/ willow charcoal? On which medium ,canvas or paper ?
4. Which colours I should use in my project? 
5. Do you have any suggestions/ideas what would you change in my projects?

After class I spend some time to draw prototypes on A3 by the willow charcoal and results I leaving below:

Koszalin after 1945

Koszalin 1945

Koszalin called Koslin before 1945

Sculpture 1

Sculpture 2

Btw today my Tutor suggest me to look at this artist/photographer “Dmitri Baltermants” I can’t wait to start doing artist research in this term.

Moving on today durning Art Portfolio class we created the groups of three. I was in group with Ouways and Dyami. I showed to they my prototypes and talks about it, I also asked a few questions and listen their opinion and suggestions. Below I leaving the recorded file including our conversation and after I will add reflection to their feedback.

Focus group questions recorded file

I’m really appreciate feedback which I get back from Ouways and Dyami. This also reflected me to think about which colours and medium I will use. I like the idea to create one painting using acrylics paints the second using willow charcoal and third maybe by watercolour, or pencils. Another thing is medium, Ouways suggestion to do it on paper like we saw an example in last term showing story is also interesting. I will think about it and ask my Tutor what is his opinion and suggestions. The composition I leaving like is it, Ouways and Dyami agreed my thoughts about it, that’s mean I’m staying with 3 important buildings in my projects: the train station, the town hall and the cathedral. The train station and town hall were changed in these times so it will be interesting to see this changes durning that time. They also agreed my idea with different clothes and things like a horse caravan/tank/car on this paintings/drawings. 

The sculptures: We talk about materials which I will use for my sculptures, Ouways and Dyami suggested me to create the flag using something more solid than fabric, its might be the mudrock, as a base I could use a wood which I make in woodwork shop. The models I will create by air drying clay and wire.  

Their feedback gives me ideas and helped me avoid potential problem like a material for flag, helped me also and give inspiration ,ideas about how I could do it, about colours and mediums for my project.

Prototypes - small sketches Part 2

Today I re-drawed prototypes. At the beginning after conversation with tutor I changed the composition of the drawing. Before the drawing was devided to two parts, now I added “town hall” to the drawing and connect everything to one piece.

First I draw quick sketch using pencils to create well fitted composition. 

Then I redraw it using ink pen.
After first drawing (Koszalin before 1945) I started drawing a Koszalin after 1945.

The drawings depicting: train station, town hall and the cathedral in Koszalin before 1945 and after 1945. I still have to draw last artwork depicting Koszalin in 1945 after WW2 when train station has been bombarded and town hall has been destroyed.

To better understand my project I looked at Diego Rivera preparation sketches.

Rivera, D. Detroit Industry Mural sketch

Rivera, D. Detroit Industry Mural 1932-1933 

The process how Rivera made the final outcome gave me inspiration and teach me how could I try to do my drawings better. I would like to look deeper and learn how to create better artwork. 

Prototypes - small sketches

 Today I started drawing prototypes, first I drew two prototypes of sculptures. The first one depict the soldier with the flag symbolising end of the war. This is my tribute to soldiers who was fighting for our future. This is unnamed soldier.

The second drawing depicting soldier who has meet with his mother after the war. 

Then I moved on to draw prototypes of paintings. I will draw three panoramic paintings. First one will depict my hometown before 1945 where Koszalin was Koslin. Second one Koslin in 1945 and third one after 1945 when Koszalin become the part of Poland.

Initial Visual Research

This time I started looking for inspiration for my project and the first inspiration i looked for is “The Racławice panorama” Around 6 years ago I was visited in Museum in Wrocław and there i saw an exhibition called “The Racławice panorama’ as visit Wrocław.eu state “ The painting present the Battle of Racławice in April 1794, in which Poles won over Russians. The monumental picture is 114m long and 15m high”  This is the famous panorama art in Poland, when I was younger I heard many times about it but when I first time seen it i was surprised and it made a great impression on me.

Styka,J. Kossak, W. (1984) Racławice Panorama, National Museum in Wrocław

Another inspiration is Diego Rivera:

Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central, 1946-1947, Museo Mural Diego Rivera, Alameda Park, Mexico City

Man, Controller of the Universe, 1933-1934

Thomas Hart Benton (New. Deal), Claude Monet “Les Nymphéas” in Musée de l’Orangerie where it was presented in 1927.

Looking depth I found an information as koszalin.pl state “ On March 4, 1945, Koszalin was captured by Soviet troops - the 3rd Tank Corps of General Alexei Panfilov. Although there was no prolonged fighting in the city, the city center was almost completely destroyed.” moving forward I looked at YouTube and I found a video recorded in 1945 showing Koszalin durning the expulsion of the Germans by Soviet soldiers. I never seen this video before, the older generation told to me many of stories how the polish people fighting for country where I born. 

Marzec 1945 - żołnierze radzieccy w Koszalinie

After I found information about that movie as Stech (2021) state“ in March 1945. During a walk of a handful of Koszalin defenders with the Red Army, the city suffered significant damage. The Soviets destroyed it only a month later to record a propaganda film.”  

Then I found  image of chapel. 

Bułhak, Jan Koszalin Chapel 1945

Koszalin 1945

Koszalin 1945

Reference: 

    “Panorama of the Battle of Racławice.” VisitWroclaw.eu, visitwroclaw.eu/en/place/panorama-raclawicka-wroclaw-1. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

   National Museum in Wrocław (1894) Racławice Panorama [panoramic painting]. Available at: https://mnwr.pl/en/category/branches/panorama-of-the-battle-of-raclawice/ (Accessed: 02.04.2025).

    Gk24.pl (2014). Marzec 1945 - żołnierze radzieccy w Koszalinie. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/CVJLQbZX-BQ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2025].

Gk24.pl (2014). Marzec 1945 - żołnierze radzieccy w Koszalinie. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/CVJLQbZX-BQ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2025].

    Bogdan Stech (2021). Historia Koszalina od 1945 roku | Serwis Urzędu Miejskiego w Koszalinie. [online] Available at: https://koszalin.wyborcza.pl/koszalin/7,179397,27158938,wojna-na-niby-o-koszalin-wiosna-1945-r-sowieci-zburzyli.html [Accessed 7 Apr. 2025].

Development Exercise: Creating Studies

 Today I took an image from initial sketches “husaria” 

and image generated from A.I 

When I compare this two images and after some consideration I started drawing new artwork which is inspired by “The Racławice panorama” the final effect I leaving below.

After that I realise that is just re-drown “The Racławice panorama” and after consultation with my tutor I decided to create something new, something connected to my family town Koszalin. So I chose the time when Koszalin become the part of Poland again after WW2 in 1945.

I looked for inspiration so I opened ChatGpt and wrote a prompt “ Generate a panoramic image of how people are regaining Koszalin after Poland took over Koszalin” Chat generated an image below for me:

And below looking at inspiration I drow this one:

Reference:

    DeepAI (2025) Painted murals, could to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. The key world is crowd, polish and Husaria. [Digital Art] Available at: https://images.deepai.org/art-image/e46c134b29a449209046dc87b00e092d/painted-murals-could-to-be-related-to-my-nation-eithe.jpg (Accessed: 24/03/25)

ChatGPT (2025) Generate a panoramic image of how people are regaining Koszalin after Poland took over Koszalin. [Digital Art]

Further Ideas Generation (AI Assisted)

Today I using deepai.org to generate couple of images. I just wrote a prompt and A.I website create an image for me. After that I chose a HD model then Speed in Preference category and then I chose a style. After that the A.I generate for me images and the results I leaving below: 

Prompt:

Painted murals, could to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. The key world is magnet, polish.

Prompt:

Painted murals, could to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. The key world is crowd, polish and Husaria.

Prompt:

panorama image , telling a story key word magnet related to polish

Prompt:

Painted murals, have to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. I’m polish artist from Poland. The key word is Crowd

Prompt:

Painted murals, have to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. I’m polish artist from Poland. The key word is Elastic

It wasn’t first time when I using A.I. to generate images, before I used it for pivate use to support me with my manifestations and visualisations that’s mean I used it to generate images “me as a king” , my dream hose etc. Other time I used A.I to generate few logos for company. Sometimes using A.I could help with inspiration but from the other side It could also destruct creativity if someone rely all the time of A.I. 

Reference:

DeepAI (2025) Painted murals, could to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. The key world is magnet, polish. [Digital Art] Available at: https://images.deepai.org/art-image/87a9a03250b74ef6892c821c271e3d65/painted-murals-could-to-be-related-to-my-nation-eithe.jpg (Accessed: 24/03/25)

DeepAI (2025) Painted murals, could to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. The key world is crowd, polish and Husaria. [Digital Art] Available at: https://images.deepai.org/art-image/e46c134b29a449209046dc87b00e092d/painted-murals-could-to-be-related-to-my-nation-eithe.jpg (Accessed: 24/03/25)

DeepAI (2025) panorama image , telling a story key word magnet related to polish [Digital Art] Available at: https://images.deepai.org/art-image/ea3fc1550ddb490f8318983cf493b44e/panorama-image-telling-a-story-key-word-magnet-relate.jpg (Accessed: 24/03/25)

DeepAI (2025) Painted murals, have to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. I’m polish artist from Poland. The key word is Crowd  [Digital Art] Available at: https://images.deepai.org/art-image/24d6de25071d4927b4eddd733a0446a0/painted-murals-have-to-be-related-to-my-nation-either.jpg (Accessed: 24/03/25)

DeepAI (2025) Painted murals, have to be related to my nation ,either historically, culturally or politically and should tell a story. I’m polish artist from Poland. The key word is Elastic  [Digital Art] Available at: https://images.deepai.org/art-image/0d961c99f6c548928cf53d184e8db6f2/painted-murals-have-to-be-related-to-my-nation-either.jpg (Accessed: 24/03/25)