Life Drawing Update

Recently in Life drawing we have been learning how to accurately structure out drawings using grid methods and measuring using our pencils etc. I struggled to get decent photos of a few pieces, as the pencil lines are so light the camera won't focus. More recently we've been starting to work on shading as well as structure. This is a short post, but I just thought I'd do an update on the classes and work so far.

Fine Art: 'Transform' Brief: Day two

For Day 2 of the brief, we set out to produce 6 pieces of work in the first 2 hours, then 4 in the next, and then 2 final pieces in the last 2 hours (All working from our objects.) I started off mind mapping, reflecting on what had/n't worked in my work from yesterday, and also generally in the past. My main focus points going into this task were:

• Use less bold materials (collage), keep material colours minimal. 
• Use thread, looks good with tape.
• Use wash sparingly, for negative space?
• Take more risks, layer work up, work over whole pages. 
• Structure drawing works well.

Below are a few of what I created in the first 2hrs. 

After this, we were given feedback on our work. I was told my lines and collage were good, but I should experiment with more colour, and work a bit smaller. After the feedback, we moved on to working into our pieces, and creating four more. I started by cutting the above piece in half, to create two better pieces. I used wash and more colour. 

I'll add that I changed my object to the bottle top for the second 2hrs. 

I then created 2 further pieces (total: 4) 

I am happier with the above two. I think the choices of colour and materials were much better. The thread, wash and brown paper have a good balance together. 

For the final 2 pieces, I took a piece I didn't like and quartered it. I used 2/4 for working into and used the other 2/4 for collage material. I did some testing in my sketchbook, and then used printing and stencilling on the pieces.

Overall I was happy with what I produced for my last two pieces, I experimented with media and took risks with colour and material. Over the two days I experienced transforming objects and experimental drawing which I hadn't really tackled before. I made some mistakes, on pieces and in my sketchbook. However I tried to rectify them by cutting and changing the pieces. 

Fine Art: 'Transform' Brief: Day one

Over the course of 2 days we were to complete a project incorporating all the techniques we've learnt so far in Fine Art. For my object I chose a milk bottle. I thought the shape, texture and material had a lot of potential for structuring and shaping in different ways.

I started off doing some quick sketches/compositions in my sketchbook of the bottle in full.

I then cut the handle off the milk bottle, because I thought separately it resembled an iron. I also liked how the main bottle section had changed, the space was much larger and would be able to hold larger things, cutting out the handle had created two completely different objects. 

Again I did some sketches/compositions reflecting on the changes and shapes of the new objects. 

I then decided to change the iron shaped object again. I slit down both sides of the handle, and turned the plastic in on itself, creating a curved knot looking object. I really liked this transformation, as it was now a completely new object! You could not see/tell it was part of a milk bottle anymore. 

For my last change to the object, I wanted to do something simpler. I cut off the lid (and small area surrounding it), and then made small cuts every few centimetres round the edge.

 I did one more sketch, then finished for the next day. I am very pleased with the transformations I was able to achieve/explore with this object. I also think the object has potential for further changes.  

Fine Art: Brief part 2: Card with hole/ Hole with card.

The second part of our brief was to take a piece of card with a hole in it, and experiment with different ways of utilizing this piece of card. Like before, I started with a mind map. Below are the different ideas I came up with:

• Use hole in card as part of an image, construct an image including the hole.
• Use hole as a window, how does it obscure or change a view?
• How the hole changes texture or pattern, get people to feel an object through the card and describe textures, how detailed are their responses? do they struggle?
• Straightforward viewfinder.
• Using card to separate (grass/rice...)

I went straight in with the window idea. I placed the card over a window and a painting, and observed the difference looking at the 'bigger picture', and the selected view through the hole. 

I found in both cases that the card on the window/painting obscured the majority of the view, and your attention was drawn directly to the card rather than anything else. However, looking through the hole in the card allowed you to pick up on much closer detail/textures than you would have before. From these observations I produced two small sketches/paintings. 

I then decided to use the hole in the card as part of an image, and did two still life sketches on either side of the card incorporating the hole. (A pritt stick, and a mug)

I stuck the piece of card between a double page spread and placed a material on either page -allowing the materials to show through the hole on the other side (people could feel the material through the hole, but not see it). I asked family members to feel the material and make comments about the textures. 

My first object (seen in full) was a plant, the comments included:

• Very smooth
• Dry soap
• Plastic
• Cork 

...and the second:

• Creases
• Fluffy
• Very soft

Overall I was pleased with the observations in both the window idea, and also the texture element. I liked how the hole in the card really allowed you to view/physically experience something in much more detail. The texture observations were surprisingly accurate, but also interesting as they were descriptions I would have never placed with that material before. 

Fine Art: 3D, structure and form.

We started the day by focusing on 3D structures, being set the challenge of creating a particular object out of old work (paper). I was given a watering can. I found this task very challenging! We didn't have a large time frame in which to work, and you had to approach the task properly - strengthening various areas as the object would have to hang up afterwards. Overall I was pleased with my outcome, there were a few issues here and there but my object hung up and didn't break!

After this we worked on A1 sheets and carefully constructed our object through various methods of drawing. These included line/graphite/oil pastels, ink wash/drawing ink and a stick, masking tape, collage, and focusing on capturing shapes within the object and building it up, rather than focusing on a plain outline. 

This task was particularly interesting as we've not approached drawing in this way before. While my final outcomes don't really look much like a watering can, I can appreciate the way you can see the structure and build up happening!

I also did some rough versions in my sketchbook for testing.

2D Design: Scavenger Hunt

Some photos from today's brief, you can spot several pictures of various fonts and yellow items, including an abandoned lemon water bottle!

I liked the way the filing cabinet doors overlapped from the angle, and also I've included some pictures of our first sketchbook work. I tried to do some collage/paper work and then some sketching in the library and main room.