3D Design: Making/Connecting Tubes.

The challenge was to make two tubes, with a hole in either side/can be connected in some way. After looking through some examples of artists work I decided I wanted to create something similar to Eva Hesse's work. Her sculptures (particularly the strand/rope like ones) have a really natural/organic feel to them, even somewhat resembling body parts. I loved these long thin layered/textured pieces and wanted to create something similar.

So I started by testing with materials, and then made my first piece. Using the canvas as a base I rolled it into a long tube shape, I then layered it up with all different sorts of material. Using rope/bin bags to shape the tube properly, and wire/masking/gaffa tape for texture. I found that using these layers and bounding it tightly also made the tube more flexible. 

We then went to photography and worked in pairs/a big group, using our tubes to connect us together. I do not have the photos at this minute and so will make a separate post for those.

Our group was then set a challenge of connecting all our tubes together to make one big structure. We decided on having two towers on either end, joined by string/attached to the ceiling. All tubes in the middle were hanging from ceiling/hung on sticks. It was pretty difficult to get stable, but once we did it looked great!

As it was a lovely day, we went outside to capture our tubes with everyday objects. I tied my tubes to a tree, put them inside a plant with similar looking leaves, weaved them through a fence, leant them against a handle bar and (my favourite) looped the tubes round a bike chain. I tried to capture my tubes looking as natural as possible. Some didn't quite work, but I enjoyed experimenting with different ideas and objects. 

Fine Art: 'Transform' -Structure and experimental drawing.

We were given long strips of paper and instructed to manipulate this paper, by folding or crumpling, any which way in order to transform the shape in some way. I chose to create a neat triangular structure at one end, and crumple the paper at the other -as if the structure was unravelling in some way.

From these we then took clean strips, and experimented with sponging, painting, stencilling and scoring, following the lines of our paper and recreating them with shoe polish. 

We also added masking tape for collage/cover up. I found this quite difficult, the shoe polish wasn't very dark and without scoring the paper it would always come up the same shade! It was a difficult medium to work with, but once we had done three and we put them together, I think they worked quite nicely as one piece.

After this we produced some pieces using tape, collage and thread. I preferred this task a lot more, we haven't had to use thread yet and I hadn't ever really drawn with it. My favourite combination was the green thread over masking tape (the strip on the right), the colours and material really complemented each other.

2D design: composition work.

Over the two week period we have had a constant focus on composition. Stripping things down, we've been using different techniques (blind drawing, left hand drawing, outline drawing, negative space...) and creating A3 pieces of work. When we first started this I was definitely out of my comfort zone, I found it difficult to work the way we were. However, looking through other people's work (and my own) I realised I am now learning to appreciate the importance of composition and simple line work and am actually enjoying working this way!

I really like these last two, I think the simplicity works well, and the negative space around the rubber duck compliments the red pen lines.