Paint Workshop

So today we were working with painting techniques. The idea was to block off sections of canvas using masking tape, and then painting over the top, meaning that parts of the image stayed the colour underneath. I built up about 8 layers of paint meaning that the image underneath was very textured and intresting. It was nice that while creating the image, I had no idea what the overall result would look like. This meant that it was really important to make sure that the colours worked together, something we learnt earlier in the course during the colour workshop. This technique reminded me of the work of Julie Meese, who uses newspaper layers underneath but still incorporates the masking tape blocks. I really like her work and liked the colours.

In the image above I really like how you can see where the paint has run underneath the tape, I like the colours in this image and think the different lines are arranged nicely. The image below is of the same painting however I have taken a different section. I experimented with using masking tape to create much more flowing and random lines. I like these lines, and like how the two techniques are juxtaposed in the same image.

So the image below is my second attempt, however in this image I have used all the pieces of masking tape I removed, and layered them up over the existing image. I think this looks really effective, especially with the diagonal lines.

I really like these sections of the image. I really like the colours and think they look really effective where the paint has chipped off. I really like this technique and think I produced some well informed work.

Heat Press

So today we learnt how to use the heat press. I had no idea before I started about the extent of work that can be created by using a heat press. It was such a simple technique however looks very effective. It allowed us to use transfers and experiment with plastics and patterns. I also tried using ink trapped in plastic wallets which melted together when heating. This looked particularly good especially with other things trapped between. I really like this workshop and was surprised how good the images looked. I also tried using bubble-wrap which gave the pieces an intresting texture. I really liked using the gold foil which when peeled off, broke away from the surface leaving small sections. First I just tried out the effect the ink had.

The image below was created by using a heat-transfer. I like the effect, especially with the green ink behind.

In this image I combined the heat transfer with the ink and also put a layer of gold foil over the top, which when peeled off, left the small gold pieces on the surface. I think this piece looks really effective, I especially like the metallic quality the foil has given it.

I tried the same technique but with different amounts of ink in each one. The one below has too much foil and ink which has given it quite a nice shiny surface however there is nothing intresting about the piece as a whole apart from this.

I really like the effect of the gold foil.

Colour Project

In this workshop, we were learning how to create colour charts and how to chose colours that complimented each other. We did a variety of different sheets, including one made from grey tones, one from green tones, one made from orange tones and another made from purple. It was interesting to see the colours which complimented one another and made it much more easier to mix colours to match. I think the sheets looked great. We then had to cut up the sheets into 8x8 squares of block colour. We were then asked to re-create the squares but by using all the different colour charts we had made. I think the squares look very nice. Sme colours I found I didn't like so much, so some squares I am not as pleased with. However I like the composition of each square and the way they look altogether.

Cardboard Box Project

So today we were asked to create an intresting composition using a pile of cardboard boxes. I first looked at the work of several different cardboard artists including the artist Alex Uribe. His work is more sculpture based however I like that his pieces are structures rather than random. The boxes we were using were all shapes and sizes and some included intresting stickers and postage marks etc. The first thing was to see how the cardboard could be manipulated into new shapes. It was intresting to play around with the different types of cardboard and see what happened when it was placed under water, or screwed up. Some had a very intresting centre and so it was nice to scratch away the surface to see the underneath. I made 3 compositions altogether, all wall pieces. I used different cardboards for each piece and tried to manipulate them in different ways. I liked the range of different colours that I found amongst the pile of old boxes. Some of the stickers were really intresting and the colours looked effective, like the image below.

I like the range of different textures in the image below. I attached many different strips of cardboard together to make the composition more intresting. I also like the silver tape and think it adds a lot to the piece by introducing a strange colour. It stands out particularly against the brown of the cardboard.

The image below is of my 3rd composition which is cardboard insulation taken from inside another box. I really liked the texture and the lacy effect. I put the cardboard under a running tap and mixed a bit of black ink to give the cardboard a black wash effect. I then attached the cardboard to the wall using copper wire so the cardboard could be manipulated into an intresting shape. I found a FRAGILE sticker which I thought would look nice next to this piece, so I covered the letters with cellotape, meaning when I peeled the tape off and removed the back , the ink would be left stuck to the tape. I really think that this compliments the piece well, especially with the hint of red in the letters. This is my favourite composition.

3D design - Drawing and Measurement

Today we were looking more into perspective and the advantages of using 3-point perspective within our drawing.This is a technique that allows you to create intresting 3-D drawings using a simple technique. A piece of paper is placed in between 2 strings nailed to the wall, another string is also nailed at the bottom underneath the sheet of paper. We then pulled graphite along the strings so they could be used to create marks, the strings are then pulled across the paper to create a series of black lines. I was really intrested in thsi technique and enjoyed the process. I was pleased with the result.

After using this technique we began to look at 2 point perspective using A4 paper. This is a technique where a 3D image can be created using 2 points at the edge of the paper. It worked particularly well when drawing stairs. It allows you to create an effective drawing using a simple measuring technique. The final image looked really nice when photocopied and inverted so the colours stood out more. I am very happy with these images.

3D design

3D design - Drawing with measurement


So today we started our week in 3D. I've never studied 3D before and didn't know what to expect. First we were asked to arrange 4 or 5 white plinths in an intresting composition. We then attached strings from the corners of one plinth to another to create an intresting linear structure. We then drew the plinths with the strings and began to experiment with colour and also taking sections of the composition and making it more intresting by overlapping for example. I really enjoyed this workshop, and although it was very difficult to draw the plinths exactly in proportion, I was really happy with the overall result and thought it looked very effective. Below are some photo's of the plinths.

I really like the drawings of the plinths I did especially with the fine-liners.

On the image below I overlapped three different pieces of tracing paper all with different patterns of lines on. I drew the image above in different fine-liner pens and overlapped them to create an intresting composition.

I really like how the images worked out.

2D design

2D design - Drawing and Measurement

Monday
So today we went to 2D, and it was our chance to try out Fine Art. We first started by choosing a tiny object to put in a clear box with a grid drawn on. We then used graph paper to draw the images which made it easier to get the right proportions and shape, a technique first used by the likes of Albrech Durer. We then made this image twice as big, and then 18 times as big. Because we used a grid, it was easier to scale up, and although Fine Art is not my strong point, I was happy with the work I produced.

Wednesday
So today we began to focus more on still life. We were asked to create a still life on the table, and place frames with string woven like a grid in front of the objects. This gave the effect of a grid and so again, we used graph paper which made it easier to get the scale correct.

I enjoyed experimenting with the images of flowers I had created. I really like the image below. I cut up each individual square on the graph paper and arranged them into an intresting composition. I really like this technique and think that this looks a lot more intresting than the plain watercolour paintings I was doing. I am really pleased with the work I have produced in this workshop, and enjoyed experimenting with the image below.

Creative Media with Textiles Day 2

Creative Media With Textiles - Drawing and Light - Unit 13

So today we moved on to looking at more experimental ways to develop the work we had created the previous session. We were asked to start looking at the relationship between the compositions we had selected and the way they could be explored using light. This involved using acetate and photocopying images onto transparent surfaces. I also experimented with making holes in my work to let the light through. This looked particularly effective when placed on the overhead projecter. Coloured plastic also looked effective when layered up. I really like the way the string looks when positioned on the wall with a light on. I think the shadows look very intresting and although the concept is simple, it looks very effective.

I like the seperate squares and think they look great as part of a set. I like how the patterns in each square are all taken from the same image but look so different as they are all made from different media. I really like the ones made with thread and wire. I really like these pieces and think they work really well.

Creative Media with Textiles

Creative Media With Textiles - Drawing and Measurement - Unit 12


So this week we've been looking at Drawing and measurement and the way that drawings can become abstract. We were asked to make several compositions by layering up different images to create intresting lines and shapes. We used an overhead projector to view the image on the wall so knew how the overall composition would look with other images layered over. I really liked the effect this gave as it made it easier to pick out different tones and spaces that may be of intrest. Another way of doing this was by using a slide carousel. Different images flashed up every couple of seconds meaning that rather than being able to draw the images out in detail, we were left with an impression, which ended up forming a very intresting linear piece of work. I looked at the work of Julie Mehretu. She uses a technique similar to the one we have been using. She creates huge images using small marks and uses light to project the marks onto the canvas. Her work looks particularly effective. This image below is one I created. I think it looks a bit different in ink as I like the drips and the random effect.

We also looked at mark making around our workshop. We chose intresting shapes and marks from around the room and copied them onto tracing paper, the tracing paper looks great when the pages are layered up over each other. I chose things like an ink mark on the table, the staircase and the pipes on the ceiling. I like the way it looks, especially with the colour behind and when photocopied in black.

Back To VisCom

Visual Communication - Unit Two - Drawing & Measurement.


Drawing & measurement - Use letterforms and stencils to look at line. The brief asked us to look at different ways of creating text in our work. This could mean breaking up the letters or overlapping to create an abstract piece of work encorporating text. I really enjoyed this subject as I  found that there were many different ways of creating intresting backgrounds with the overlapped letters. I also tried to create a repeating pattern using the letters, which I found worked really well. It was also intresting to use different materials such as ink and paint to overlap different letters to create a piece of work made up of abstract shapes and lines. I particulaly like the pattern I made using the letter 'X'. I used white and black to create a clash and think this makes the piece particularly stand out and look really effective. I think these letter forms have worked really well, especially with the black lines against the coloured backgrounds. I am really pleased with the pieces I produced in this workshop.

My Second Day :)

First Unit - 2D & 3D Design - Wrapping.

Wrapping - To select and wrap a series of objects. The breif asked us to choose items from a selection including a skeleton, pots, lightbulbs, and many kitchen implements. We were in pairs for this group, so me and my partner decided not just to chose one large object and wrap it, but to select a collection of objects to try and convey a story. We first chose the materials that we would wrap, including a whisk, a lightbulb and some scissors, all presented in a wrapped frame. We used cotton, string and masking tape to wrap the objects. I like the way each wrapped item has a different texture and look. We wanted to give the impression of things being trapped in the wrapping and convey an unsettling feeling. I think we acheived this, especially with the torn pieces of material which give the impression of ripped clothing on a fence. I think the colours reflect what we were trying to acheive as well. I think we did well and followed the brief well.

First Week :)

First Day Of My Foundation Course - First Unit - Visual Communication.


Sonic Cartography - The science or art of making or drawing maps. The brief asked us to create a piece of work in response to music we heard 'The art of music'. We saw examples of work and I was reminded of the work by Kandinsky. I like the colours and simple shapes he uses in his work and decided to attempt my own version. I actually found it easier than I expected to create my piece of work. As everything is your own personal response it was good to experiment with different materials and ideas. It also gave me a chance to experiment with using the computer to create different effects on my work. I inverted the colours to give a different effect, and studied smaller sections of my work which looked very effective. I used a view finder to select intresting sections f my work. I really liked this workshop and feel I produced a confident and informed piece of work.