Self directed - Experimenting with layouts for assessment.

Drawing project - Experimenting with layouts for assessment.

Self-directed Project - Evaluation.

My intentions with my self-directed project were to explore the themes around the urban environment focusing on colour, light and structure to create atmosphere. I wanted to produce ideas in response to what I experienced myself whilst there, looking at locations during the day and night expressing different colour pallets to show this. It is the atmosphere felt whilst in a bustling city which captures my attention to colour and textures in order to represent the environment. The colours within my ideas show what I see with my own eyes. 

(Oxford Circus 2, acrylic,
 photography & varnish on MDF, A1)

 To begin my project I focused on ideas which expressed perspective and composition from locations in both Leicester and also London. It was from these initial ideas that I began to produce colour responses allowing me to pick out certain tones that I felt were dominant exaggerating what I saw within them to create a strong atmosphere placing the viewer in that situation.

 I experimented with many arrangements looking at ideas during the day and night to allow me to capture contrasting atmospheres through my use of colours and textures. I started off by developing my ideas using paint brushes as well as pallet knives. I found that when using the pallet knife I could apply the colours creating strong textures which in turn emphasis the environment being shown. When developing my ideas I looked at the composition as a whole and also zooming in on particular sections that I felt best expressed ideas of colour and texture without the need to use structures. I found this very interesting as it allowed me to see how I apply colour and texture together to generate ideas of a particular location. However after comparing the two together for me I find painting an environment as a whole more rewarding, looking at perspective as well as colour and texture. I believe using a strong sense of perspective combined with colour and mark making pulls in the viewer’s gaze placing them in that situation.  

This idea of exaggerating a location in terms of colour to help portray what I experienced whilst there came from my initial research into the Post-Impressionists. They came about during the 1880's and were a diverse group of artists who took aspects from impressionism and exaggerated it. For example Van Gogh intensified his already vibrant colours painting them a lot thicker onto the canvas, a technique known as impasto. These bolder brush strokes expressed more energetic ideas. The artists within this group developed a style which focused on the emotional, structural, symbolic and spiritual elements which they believed to be missing from impressionism. I think that the influence the post impressionists had on my ideas is clear. Within my paintings I have exaggerated colour and texture to help create a particular atmosphere reflecting an urban environment and how I experienced it. 

It was during the development stages of my ideas that I found the combination of acrylic paint and photography to be very successful. I found that this process of using textural paint over a focused image generated ideas of memory which further more emphasised my personal interpretation. The picture becomes a captured moment in time, the paint surrounding it representing how I remember it in terms of atmosphere and emotion.  Due to me selecting urban locations I feel that a variety of audiences could relate to my work as they may have felt the same busy over whelming emotions that I did when in particular city environments.  I also feel that I have achieved what I set out to with my own brief to look at urban environments representing them through my own interpretation; what I experienced whilst there. 

Drawing Project - Evaluation.

The intentions for my drawing project were to explore the theme of people in a city environment capturing ideas of movement and life. 

(Untitled, mixed media - watercolour, ink, charcoal

 varnish & graphite on stretched paper, A1)

To do this I began by recording ideas of people and crowds, drawing quick sketches whilst on location to create a strong atmosphere of life and city living.  Throughout my project I used a variety of arrangements to emphasis depth and density in turn generating ideas expressing noise and movement. I also experimented with media combinations using contrasting materials to show differences in texture, in turn adding to the detail to attract the viewer’s gaze. In the development stages I found that the use of ink together with graphite sticks and charcoal on paper enabled me to use different tones and textures together to help enhance the movement of the subject matter. During this process I also incorporated varnish to add a glossy surface to the dry materials used thus adding another layer helping to generate depth. When refining my ideas I began to use hints of watercolour combined with the black ink to my work which gave my ideas an uplifted atmosphere, creating more life showing the ideas in a positive light as opposed to gloomy monochrome.

Towards the refinement stages of my project, my ideas began to focus purely on the lines and shadows of the people as opposed to drawing the figures true to life placing them in a recognisable scene. This allows the spectator to make their own assumptions of the lines and marks, whether they see them as silhouetted figures or records of noise and movement. One problem that did occur was the use of paper and the fact it would warp due to using a wet on wet technique. To solve this I did try out my media combination onto cardboard but I found that unlike on the cartridge paper, the lines made on the wet ink soaked into the card so you could no longer see them. In response to this I decided to go back to using cartridge paper but by stretching it beforehand so that the paper did not warp so much creating a flat surface. 

The idea of focusing on movement came from my artist research most significantly into the video installation work of Michal Rovner, an artist from Israel. Originally a photography and sculpture based artist, Rovner began to move towards film based work during the 1990's. Her videos depicted crowds of anonymous people, animals and birds often in monochrome.  Her most recent films look at silhouetted figures moving across an environment. The video that most inspired my ideas of movement was her piece called 'Current' which focuses on themes of time and energy. (Follow this link to see 'Current' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc3m5sRRnq0) It was this piece that inspired my ideas to develop and focus on the shadows and shapes of the crowds to create movement and depth in turn generating a bustling atmosphere. I think the influence behind my ideas is clear showing positive links between my own ideas and the ideas of my inspiration. 

Evaluating my ideas to my own set brief I believe I have successfully explored the theme of people and crowds capturing them in their environment creating a bustling atmosphere through the use of lines, tone and texture. If I were to continue this project I would focus on how to effectively scale up my ideas whilst still using delicate marks and textures to create movement and depth. 

Self directed - Colour & texture.

To further refine my ideas; after previously looking at my paintings in detail, picking out particular sections, I decided to re-paint the sections I enjoy. To do this I looked at my most successful ideas zooming in on sections and then with the colours and a large pallet knife painting the textures scaling up in the process. I chose a variety of sections focusing on different tones of light and texture to allow me to represent different city locations at different times. With these paintings my aim is to show a city environment through the use of colour and texture whilst continuing to focus on my experiences representing the environment with the colours and textures that I see. Relating back to my inspiration taken from the Post Impressionists ideas of exaggerating things through use of vibrant colour and textures; I also wanted to create these ideas to see if adding structure is always necessary when depicting a city environment.

(Untitled, acrylic & varnish on cardboard, A3)

(Untitled, acrylic & varnish on chip board, approx. A2)

(Untitled, acrylic on MDF, A4)

(Untitled, acrylic & white emulsion on cardboard, A2)

(Untitled, acrylic on cardboard, A2)

When selecting these compositions I wanted to look at areas using high contrasts between dark and light tones to help reflect the time of day and also focusing on a particular colour pallet that is most dominant throughout the particular idea. To create these I applied the paint quickly to allow me to show movement within the textures which continues to reflect on a city environment full with the hustle and bustle of life. Looking at my new paintings I can see that cool tertiary colours contrasted with bright tones are often used. This helps to create an urban atmosphere; the tertiary tones depicting the concrete buildings and stone floors. The textures used are very linear and coarse in appearance which emphasises the environment creating a sense of movement, direction and depth pulling in the attention of the spectator. 

When looking at my ideas in detail, homing in on what is was about the paintings I most enjoyed, I have found that it is my application of texture using a pallet knife that allows me to effectively represent a city environment. The textures used are gestural portraying a great deal of movement which in turn enhances the never ending life of a city. 

Comparing these ideas to my paintings which show the environment realistically using perspective and structure, I gain a lot more satisfaction from painting the idea as a scene as opposed to a series of marks. What I enjoy most about painting the location more photographically is being able to enhance to use of perspective combined with colour and texture. This allows me to emphasis the atmosphere, most importantly allowing the viewer to relate to the composition placing them in that busy city environment. The perspective pulls in the spectators gaze, simulating how a city environment can engulf and overwhelm you. In turn this reflects on my own experiences; how I feel in those locations. 

Self directed - Looking at my paintings in detail.

After painting my large pieces I wanted to look in detail at what I enjoy most about the ideas, picking out sections that would work well as a composition in its self. 

(Above and 1 below - sections taken from 'Oxford Circus 2')

Looking at these sections taken from 'Oxford Circus 2', I chose these due to the intense use of colour which creates a busy atmosphere representing the illuminate lights of a city at night. What I also find interesting about these sections is the application of texture and the contrasts between the large and small marks.

(Above and 2 below - sections from 'Oxford Circus 1')

The three sections presented above are from 'Oxford Circus 1'. I chose these again due to their use of texture and application of the marks made to show structure and contrasts between the dark and light tones. 

Studying all of the sections I have selected from my large scale paintings, I have found that my use of colour and application of texture using a pallet knife, does reflect on a city environment creating a bustling atmosphere even though there is not set image of a city in terms of perspective to give the viewer a certain context. Looking closely at these sections, if I were to recreate them I would have to use a larger pallet knife or depending on how large I wanted to go I would have to reconsider the tools I use. I also think it is clear that I enjoy studying the colours and textures within a composition to create a particular atmosphere and environment to pull in the attention of the viewer. 

As further development for my project I will look at producing ideas that look only at the use of colour and texture to depict a particular location and time of day. To do this I will select sections from previous pieces of work that I find most interesting recreating them using the same colour pallet and direction of marks. 

Drawing - Refinement of Ideas.

Looking through my ideas and evaluating the compositions I have used, I think that the arrangements that focus on the shapes and movement of the crowds, rather than the city structures surrounding them are most effective and eye catching to the viewer. These more gestural ideas allow the spectator to make their own assumptions of what is being represented as opposed to me telling the viewer what to see by adding in a city environment to the people which almost takes away the movement, in turn producing a static image. As refinement to my ideas I have been continuing with the idea of stretching the paper, gradually increasing the size to see how effective it is, if it works or not. 

With my drawings I have been looking at showing just the movement with subtle hints at people and crowd density. They could be drawings of the sounds or shadows that the people create in a bustling city environment. Also due to finding my use of colour effective, creating a more uplifting atmosphere I have been refining on my application of this. I found that the use of blue was most interesting and complementary to my compositions as it added temperature to my ideas and whilst improving my work I combined the use of blue with the black ink to help produce tone. I have also continued to use charcoal and graphite sticks to the drawings to help define the shapes and tones produced. One other material I have been using is varnish. I used it previously on a couple of ideas and I have found that applying it around the charcoal lines helps to enhance the shapes produced and also adds a contrasting texture to the ideas which helps to attract the attention of the viewer to look in close at the intricate detail. In terms of layout and positioning of my ideas I have been playing around with both portrait and landscape compositions. I find both interesting however the landscape ideas allow me to exaggerate the shapes and depth of my idea enhancing the idea of movement and shadows. 

(Untitled, ink, charcoal, graphite and varnish on stretched paper, A4)

(Untitled, watercolour, varnish and charcoal on stretched paper, A2)

(Untitled, mixed media - watercolour,
ink, charcoal, varnish and graphite on stretched paper, A1)

Self directed project - 2 paintings.

At this current stage of my self-directed project I have continued to experiment and develop my ideas in particular my uses of colour and structure to create pieces of work that express my interpretation of the scene being depicted. With my ideas I want to generate an urban atmosphere through my use of exaggerated  or soft colours and textures, putting the viewer in that location creating an environment that is bustling with the never sleeping life of a city. 

Throughout my project I have been generating ideas looking at different times of the day; morning, late afternoon, night time. I did this to allow me to apply colours that are either muted by the natural hazy late afternoon light or illuminated by city traffic, street lamps and shops in the evening. As well as this I have also been playing around with my use of texture and incorporation of photography. With my ideas, combining them with my photography I wanted to create a composition that is both blurred and also in focus, a moment captured whilst in the location and then my memory of the environment and how I felt at the time, represented through colour and texture, my own interpretation. 

(Oxford Circus 1, acrylic varnish & photography, A1)

(Oxford Circus 2, acrylic varnish & photography, A1)

During my initial research and development stages of my self-directed project I found it very interesting and enjoyable to create ideas both set in the day and also at night to help me produce different colour in relation to the lighting. I love the contrasts between natural light and artificial light allowing me to creating soft and fluorescent colours yet both creating a sense of urban atmosphere.

These two paintings shown above are my latest pieces of work, two large paintings roughly at A1 size depicting the same location at different times of the day, one during the afternoon and the other late at night.  To create these I used techniques learnt during the development of my work that worked well. I have combined my photography with my painting process. I find that by doing this it helps to emphasis the perspective pulling in the viewers’ attention. It also allows my paint work to seem like a memory showing what I was experiencing at the time, framing the moment captured in that location. I used acrylic paint to create the work, applying the paint using a range of pallet knifes to enable me to make texture and layers of colour to create depth and a sense of movement. The texture created in these helps to reflect on the city scenes being shown; the marks being the sound and movement of the people and traffic.

Self directed work in relation to group crit.

As suggested in the the group crit and also in response, I have done some more work looking once again at my use and application of colour. To do some of my ideas I went of previous paintings looking at the colour within the compositions. I also incorporated my use of photography into the ideas as well this time applying a stronger sense of texture the paint used. These ideas also relate to my previous contextual research into the works of Spencer Gore and Oskar Kokoschka who apply bright exaggerated colours to their paintings a long with strong brush marks to help show texture to define the mood and atmosphere of the composition. In my latest pieces of development I wanted to further emphasis the urban atmospheres in my ideas as this, along with my use of structure, is a main element within my concept. 

(Untitled, acrylic on paper using pallet knife, A2)

(Untitled, acrylic on card using brush, A2)

(Untitled, acrylic photo cardboard and varnish collage on paper, A2)

To paint the ideas selected above I used a range of pallet knives and brushes also incorporating relief elements within the ideas using corrugated card. Comparing my piece made using a brush against the pieces using a pallet knife, I feel that the textures made by the brush are very flat and bland where as when using a pallet knife I am able to create rough and smooth layers of texture which helps me to put an emphasis on the marks and colours used within my ideas. This then in turn helps me to generate a stronger atmosphere that is endearing to the spectator. Looking at my use of colour in more detail once again, has made me look more closely at my ideas and how I mix colours to represent different times of day and to generate an urban atmosphere. 

Drawing project - Stretching paper.

Due to finding out that my process for drawing does not work very well on cardboard I have decided to have a go at stretching ordinary cartridge paper so that my backgrounds are flat and do not crumple due to the wet media I use, in turn helping to make my compositions look more professional. I attempted this process starting with two small scale drawing to allow me to see how it would turn out. 

Stretching the paper

 To stretch the paper all you need is a role of gum tape, a wooden board, paper and a damp sponge or cloth.

Firstly I needed to dampen the paper I was going to be using with a sponge placing it in position ready on the board. Then using the gum tape, wetting it slightly with the sponge I placed four strips along each edge of the paper making sure it was all stuck down with no air gaps. Once complete I had to allow the paper to completely dry before working on top of it. Once dry I applied my ideas to the paper using my wet on wet ink technique and again letting it dry thoroughly. When the paper was completely dry, using a craft knife I cut  away the paper from the board. 

         before.              -                after            

Due to stretching the cartridge paper working positively; my backgrounds are now crumple free which helps to complement my drawings and looks more proficient when displayed on a wall. I will continue to stretch my paper gradually increasing in size to allow me to present my ideas more effectively without the distraction of warped paper. 

Drawing - Development in response to Crit.

Reading through my notes made during the group crit session for my drawing project, it was positive for me to hear comments on my use of media and also my use of just black and white. I think that using only monochrome best complements the subject matter as it focuses on the tone and shapes without anything distracting the viewer. I also found it interesting that my peers recognised my experimentation with movement of people and that I wish to represent it through the use of shadows. 

In response to the comments made by the group I decided to play around with composition once again, looking at shapes and view points of people (portrait and landscape) to help create different depths and densities of tone. As well as this I also experimented with adding subtle tertiary grays into the black ink using watercolour to see what that brought to my ideas. 

(Untitled, ink wet on wet, charcoal, graphite
and watercolour on paper, A4)

(Untitled, ink wet on wet, charcoal and graphite on paper, A4)

(Untitled, ink wet on wet, charcoal, graphite and varnish on paper, A3)

Above are some of my ideas that play around with black ink combined together with hints of colour and also experimentation with composition looking at idea orientation and also the densities of the crowds and the view points. As well as this I tried out using varnish over the completed drawing. I do not think this was successful as the varnish is not completely clear, leaving a slight yellow tone to the paper. Instead I will apply the varnish more as drips instead of painting it onto the picture as a whole to see what this adds to the idea. Evaluating these current drawings I think it is apparent that the ideas looking down on the crowd are not as interesting or as visually appealing as the ideas which generate depth with use of landscape orientation and subtle hints to structure which draw in the viewers attention. I then decided to add a lot more colour to my ideas to see how this changed the atmosphere of my drawings.  

(Untitled, watercolour, ink and charcoal on paper, A4)

(Untitled, watercolour and ink on paper, A3)

(Untitled, water colour on paper, A4)

These next few ideas show my experimentation with the use of vibrant colours as an extreme contrast to my ideas using only monochrome tones. To do this I used the same process ideas used previously, wet on wet, this time applying rich watercolour to the paper. I tried out using the watercolours on their own, mixed and also combined with the black ink to add stronger shadows. I used compositions that have been previously effective looking at landscape viewpoints. Comparing these colourful ideas to my previous dark black and white drawings, I think that by adding watercolour the atmosphere becomes less dark and  heavy, and is instead bright and uplifting to look at whilst still generating elements of people and the movement of crowds in a city environment. As further development on my use of colour I will try out my ideas on a larger scale comparing them against my larger monochrome pieces. 

(Untitled, ink wet on wet charcoal graphite
and watercolour on card board, A2)

When applying the same techniques used previously onto cardboard I found that the process was not as successful as it is on normal cartridge paper. Due to cardboard being thicker and absorbing more of the black ink, I found that when I produced the marks in the black wet surface they eventually merged in once completely dry. This then took away some texture which is expressed in previous pieces and I think that this makes the drawings seem a lot more bland and flat in tern detracting from the movement element of my ideas. 

Testing my technique out onto cardboard and finding that the process fails to be as effective as it is on paper, I have decided to attempt to stretch ordinary cartridge paper to that it does not warp as much making my pieces more professional and refined. To do this I will start by first producing some small scale pieces to see if the stretching process works to complement my ideas and choice is media.   

Drawing Project - Crit 07.03.14

Group Crit

One of my latest pieces

(Untitled, ink wet on wet charcoal and graphite on paper, A1)

Points made during my crit

- my drawing are ghost like

- lack of colour, empty spaces and blotches are working well

- resemble heart beats

- recording of movement is effective

- visually how you would see crowds if they were only noise and shadow

- they are very simplified images, focusing on shape, sound creating movement of life

- emphasis on shadows 

- choice in materials are working, my ideas are taking off

- black and white is good; helps to reflect the subject matter

Suggestions

- look at different crowds in terms of shape and density

- experiment with the reverse; positive/ negative

- thinking of presentation; produce ideas onto card or thick paper?

- look at work as collectives and whole pieces

- could add string or wire to the ideas?

- try adding hints of colour; tertiary grays 

Drawing - further development.

Continuing with my drawing project focused around crowds of people and the movements created by them, I  have developed my ideas; applying different techniques whilst still looking at ways of generating movement. 

This further development stage of my project I wanted to continue to play around with the compositions of different crowd shapes and densities. I have experimented with backgrounds and shadows to help me show the movement within people and how I see it and want to represent it. 

(Untitled, emulsion on foam board)

To create this idea shown above I wanted to look at the negative of my ideas, the people becoming the highlights rather than the background. For this composition I first painted a thick layer of emulsion onto the foam board surface and using my pallet knife as a tool I scratched away the crowds and shadows. Evaluating the results, I think it is an interesting technique used to create a negative image however comparing it to my previous ideas and choices in media, I think that this interpretation does not continue on the my use of delicate gestural marks.

(Untitled, combination of ink and black emulsion on paper, A3)

With my materials I chose to combine ink with black emulsion making a watery substance that would be easy to apply onto the surface whilst still producing contrasts in dark and light tones. To do this I applied the ink and emulsion using a brush allowing it to drop onto the paper as well as manipulating the ink my self on the paper. Looking at the idea I think this idea seems flat, even though it has depth I don't think it creates a depth that pulls the spectator into the image compared to ideas made previously.

(Untitled, ink wet on wet on paper, A2)

Developing on a previous technique that I found interesting I decided to scale up my ideas that use ink wet on wet scratching into the ink whilst still damp leaving behind my marks. I think that this process helps to complement my subject matter as the lines made are very loose and sketchy creating fine textures that in turn create movement within the composition. With this idea I wanted to play around with adding in background structures to my ideas to give the crowd a solid city location that is apparent to the viewer. I think this is visually appealing in terms of marks made, however this particular arrangement is not effective in terms of depth and density of the crowd. As a composition I don't think this is the most successful. 

(Untitled, ink, charcoal and graphite pencil on paper, A1)

In response to previous development ideas I wanted to record an idea that expresses more depth helping to pull in the viewer. To further develop my use of media that has been working I decided to combine my ink wet on wet technique with willow charcoal and graphite pencil to help define tones and marks made. I think that combining these materials has helped to refine my ideas. I also wanted to continue to use a background as this helps to ground the figures whilst still allowing me to show movement. 

At this point in my project I now feel that I have found a combination of materials that is working, helping me represent my ideas and themes of people and movement. Relating back to my contextual influences in particular; Michal Rovner and James Allen I think that the two influences are coming through in my ideas showing an environment which contains movement of people and shadows as well as structure.