Tuesday, February 16, 2010

2010 I'M BACK

Week 1.

Here I am, back at it again, even after contemplating pulling out of art school all together (not sure where that came from, started to feel a little unenthusiastic after a unfortunate set back in my life during my holidays). I have managed to pick myself back up, and I think concentrating on school projects has actually done me the world of good – as all along I knew it would.

Last semester of 2009 results for General Drawing 1:2 and Life Drawing 1:2 weren’t too bad, could have been better (they always could), but I was expecting them to drop from a little from first term. I managed a distinction for General Drawing, almost, almost a higher distinction, so close, and a Credit for Life Drawing, again, right on the cusp of a distinction – makes you want to go back again just to drag it over the line. BUT I’M HAPPY – I got a lot out of both the classes, especially selfconfidence, I’m happy with that.

This year I have picked up painting (hell, I know I am not a painter, I don’t have any idea why I have decided to do it, BUT I HAVE – now all I have to do is drag myself and my poor family through moaning misery for 12 months (they’ll cope, they’ll have to).

My second subject, SCULPTURE…yay, except the first term sculpting lecturer has undergone surgery and has taken time off – we are now starting with term 2 first – bllllllllaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh means I have to try and find my creative gland, probably finding it won’t be the problem, it’s trying to learn how to turn it on that may cause some complications ;) I wonder if there is some Neurosurgery that could help me out with it (I know I needed it for General Drawing 1:2).

Typically me, I decided to try and teach myself to paint before I was taught to pain, if nothing else it has been good to get the feel of a paintbrush in my hand. So just briefly this is what I got up to during my holidays, along with some rough charcoal drawings, to work out some future projects.


I have left both of these unfinished until I know a little more about painting.

I feel I need a little more confidence to take them to the end. It has helped with the little tips from Lisa (fantastic artist I have to add) and the ear wigging during the year doing General Drawing next to a painting class.




















Unfortunately I was otherwise occupied on Day 1 of sculpture, I soon caught up on homework. We were instructed to make a paper cutout of a table and chair arrangement with a narrative using an A4 piece of photocopy paper. We were not allowed to detach any piece of the paper, the paper had to stay as a whole sheet, so if we unfolded the cutout it should still resemble a complete A4 Size paper. No glue, tape, staples etc were to be used. Fiddly but was achievable. In class today, we were to use the same technique, but create a stack of childrens bedroom items, as if a child was making a stack to climb up to reach something at a height. Again, the A4 piece of paper was to remain as an A4 sheet if it was folded back... Here is what I came up with.

TV dinner (there is a plate, knife and fork on the table)

STACK OF CHILDRENS BEDROOM ITEMS - A little hard to tell, but there is a box, chair, books, table etc.










Day 1 - Painting

Maybe this isn't the best piece to put up, but will be good to follow my progress over the time, even if it means displaying my miserable failures to the world - not really, I'm sure I won't fail, I can't, not possible, why would I...hehehehe hmmm possible I guess ;)

This piece was drawn up and painted all within 20 minutes, which for me I think is pretty good - at this stage it almost takes me 20 minutes to mix the paint. I at least came out of the class feeling like I hadn't been left behind - as an absolute non painter, this felt GOOD.


Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Collage - from the French: coller, to glue)


Homework - this was so much fun, I decided to work on a theme (Medical), considering the 20 years of working in the medical field I thought it quite appropriate. Every piece of paper glued is either a piece of writing, a medical symbol a picture of a muscle, x-rays or medical material of one sort or another. I started out putting the coinciding body part where they belong on the body, after a while this proved a little difficult to get the tone correct - so they end up random. I finished the piece with some Gesso over the top, felt it needed something to bring the whole picture together.

I thought this piece was really successful and quietly I am pretty proud of it.

Another life drawing exercise... this was another piece I really enjoyed doing. Drawn up in charcoal, finished in conte.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

This piece took forever... we drew it up in class in 12 sections, hiding each sections as we moved on to another...this really pushed us to accuracy, great fun... finally it all came together.

Homework was to choose a different medium, I went conte... the base colour red (can't tell can you) - I thought it was never going to come to an end... probably a bad medium for homework as it was so slow, needed many more hours (ended up looking a bit rushed). Then......................... we had to cut it up in to 12 equal parts (ahhhhhhhhh - after all that work) and take it back to class. We all admired each others hard work then had to choose a theme for each piece (mine being passion - how could I make it look any more passionate than red I thought)



We picked out 3 random squares put them together and did our best to make those three squares represent our theme..... hmmmmm, I find it really hard to be put on the spot and just let things happen... I'm such a thinker ;)

We then placed the 3 squares back into the full drawing, stuck them all together and did our best to complete the picture to relate to the theme.....yeeeerrrrrr I grunted a LOT, poor Yve (lecturer). After everything it didn't look too bad. .......but I really missed my original drawing.

SLACKER

Cant believe the last time I put something on my blog was the 23rd of August.... how slack am I....must have been busy ;)

1st year down for two subjects, boy am I going to miss life drawing... yerp, after all the heart ache, swearing, cussing and wanting to throw my toys, I really enjoyed this subject. Next year it will be paint brushes and clay tools hurtling across the room... ;)

I think I will just randomly put up pieces I have done through out this term....

This project was to take a previously drawn up piece, re-draw it for homework, choose an artist and transfer the artists style to our own piece.... can you guess??? Giacometti, ok so it's not a full frontal drawing, but I thought the concept was there (probably not my best piece).


Looking at contours.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

WEEK 5


LIFE DRAWING

Still concentrating on volumes etc..... really got in to week five, obviously something clicked - was nice to finally enjoy a life drawing session again. Here is a sample of our sufferings for week 5 ;)

Didn't notice until now... his back doesn't join up with his bottom...hmmm poor observation on my behalf...