For life drawing we use the side of charcoal to draw an outline of the body. When drawing the outline we first have to add a basic shape ie. a square or triangle, depending on the angles of the body part, then add in the detail after. When drawing a full length body, we have to measure how many heads would fit into that persons body and add lines equal sizes apart to build up the outline.
We have been looking at the artists Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. We particually focused on Da Vinci because of the measurements he uses to draw the human body. The piece Vitruvius is a realy good example of this.
Leonardo De Vinci
All of De Vinci's work, is painted with great accuracy and detail, and it is said that he painted from the bones outward. He reconstructs the measurements for the human body from the Vitruvius theory, where the architect believed that the proportions and measurements of the body, that was divinely created, were perfect and correct. He noted that that a human body can be symmetrically inscribed within both a circle and a square. However, De Vinci's drawings are slightly different in that the male figure adopts two different positions within the same image; the figure is within the circle and the square; movement and liveliness are suggested by the figure's active arms and legs.
Ben Nicholson
Ben Nicholson has come to be seen to be the most inspirational and defined of British modernism. His geometric paintings are amongst the most influential abstract in British art.
The medias used in this piece are charcoal and paints. The shapes in this picture are very basic and the tones and shodows are sketchy and look as though they are done in charcoal. The compistion of the images are close together and your eyes immediately focus on the centre images of the pottery.The colours used are warm; reds, browns, and yellows. The picture is built up of layers, which is a similar technique we've used in our drawings this week (24.1.12).
24.1.12 -
31.1.12 -
Today we started by doing one sustained pose of John for 30 minutes. Aftrewards, we did 5 quick gesture drawings where after every 5 minutes john moved into a new and different posistion for us to replicate.
7.2.12 –
Today we have made Collograph stencils, ready to use after half term. We used existing images and did six copies, changing the layout and composition. Afterwards we pick our favourite to use for the stencil, some of use stuck them on the card others re-drew them. We used different types of materials and techniques to change the texture and layers. I used materials such as; thick string, textured wallpaper and bubble wrap.
21.2.12
Today we made prints with the collograph plates we made before half term, using only primary colours – yellow, red and blue.
I found through experimenting that the bubble wrap I had used peeled off during the printing and cleaning and I now know to avoid using this material in future printing projects. What worked really well in my piece was the textured wallpaper. The effect looks interesting and stands out from the rest of the print. Also, the one print I layered with two colours (red and blue) work the best in my opinion and contrasted well, giving it a more appealing look.
Later on I tried using pastel colours in the style of Jet James. I liked how the colours came out with these pieces.
28.2.12 –
Looking at my prints, what material worked the best was the textured wallpaper. The bubble wrap worked for the first few prints, but the more I used the plate the more it came away, so I will not use this material in the future.
When I came to mounting mytwo final pieces, I used these measurements; width = 6x6cm from the sides and hieht = 8.5x8.5cm from the top and the bottom.
This is so my piece is centred int the middle of the card. Better measurements would have been: w = 6x6cm and h= 8x10cm, so there is more space left at the bottom.
However, when we were printing, we just placed the paper on the prints. This resulted to the outcome being slightly wonky so it does not seem straight on the card. So for future prints, I will make sure the plate is centred on the paper.
Finally, looking at other peoples work, the most successful outcomes were those that were more abstract istead of having an outline of a figure, which is what I did.
To improve my print, I need to make it look more abstract by cutting bits out, reassemble materials etc.
6.3.12 - Barbara Rae
Barbara Rae was born in Falkirk in Stirlingshire and she has done many solo and group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. Her sketches define the comtemporay art scene built up of a collection of ideas, containing acrylics, watercolour, charcoal, chalk. Pastel, and even paint mixed with wine instead of water. She varies with bold composition, strong contrast and textures and collages surfaces to create a memorable atmosphere in her paintings. She translates them into large scale paintings on paper or canvas.
I don’t like Rae’s work much because her painting looks like a five year olds finger painting and it is difficult to tell what the pieces are trying to show her audience. However, I do really like her use of either warm or cool colours, and how she uses them can influence my work.
Dawn Cole
Dawn Cole is an artist based in Birchington in North Kent. Her work is the result of extensive research, exploring the ideas of memory and recollection, time and repetition. She primarily works as a printmaker, using a range of techniques including; solar plate etch, lino etch, drypointand monoprint.
I do like Cole's work to an extent, because her collograph plates/prints are very detailed and interesting, which makes them appealing. They are also very influential. but what I don't like is that some of her work looks a little dull in colour.
He intricate and delicate patterns and shapes could influence my own work in the future.
I do like Cole's work to an extent, because her collograph plates/prints are very detailed and interesting, which makes them appealing. They are also very influential. but what I don't like is that some of her work looks a little dull in colour.
He intricate and delicate patterns and shapes could influence my own work in the future.
Cy Twombly
Cy twombly had a distinctive approach to painting and sculpture, straying from precise movements and more into fluid sketches, including Abstract, Pop Art and Minimalism. His work consists almost entirely of scribbles, feints and graffiti-like gesrtures.
I do not like Twombly’s work, and think it’s not art at all and anyone could do it. It looks simply to replicate and looks lazy. I cannot easily use this style in my own life drawing work, but he does have a freedom with lines, in which I can explore further into.
Sir Terry Frost
Sir Terry Frost was one of Britain’s most distinguished and successful abstract artists of the 20th century. His work was colourful and exuberant that gave a popular dimension to the landscape-orientated abstract art produced by the post-war St Ives artist colony. He only really started painting when he was held as a prisoner of war in Germany in 1943 and since then his carrer has spanned six decades.
Out of all these abstract artists I’ve looked at, I like Frost’s work the most. I really like his use of bright, warm colours and you can tell what his images are, some even play with the mind. I will take into consideration to use his style and techniques in my own work.
This afternoon, we got our least favourite prints and worked onto them using brown post tape, masking tape and monoprints. I think that this worked well and would really like to use this technique in future work. What worked best were the monoprints, which gave the original print more definition and made them more abstract.
13.3.12 -
This morning we did more prints with are collograph plates in primary colours. once we had done a few of these, we cut the plates into 6 small pieces. I only managed to do one print like this and with this piece I am going to reassemble the pieces on card then sew them.
In the afternoon we did some life drawing with Alison. To start off with, we did quick 1minute drawings of her - after every minute, she did a different position. After this exercise we did four 5minute drawings. then finally one half hour drawing.
I prefer drawing Alison to John because I like drawing the shapes and curves making up her body.
20.3.12 -
Today we designed 6 thumbnail ideas to put on our lino. My first 2 ideas I decided to do a foot and a fist, from my earlier practise drawings. I thought that there wasn't much too these ideas, and maybe the prints wouldn't work so well. So for my next four ideas, I looked more at my research on Jet James and decided to design some ideas around his work. I chose to use my 5th design because there was more to it and it stays close to Jet James' work.
Today I only managed to do one print, as the planning took awhile and the lino took time to cut, but what I have printed so far works well and has turned out effective.
