Conceptual Art

   Conceptual at is a form of art where the idea of it is more important than its physical appearance. It rejects the appreciation of a piece of painted work and aims for a broader genre that may not be framed on the wall. It became popular in the 1960s and made way for art to be self critical and create illusions. Such as 'The Oak Tree' made the viewer sit down with the artist and look at a glass of water, which the artist called the oak tree. This allowed the viewer to engage, not only with their eyes, but with their mind. The illusion confused the viewer and made them think.
   This was very interesting and definitely raised questions such as why? And what is so special about an oak tree? After a minute i felt more calm about the idea as it was open for my own thoughts and that was the whole purpose of this art; to make me think. Next i wanted to ask about the setting, like why did the room have to be dark and mysterious, would the viewer react differently in a brighter surroundings? The overall interaction was very intriguing.
   Conceptual artists such as Robert Montgomery uses just words to convey his ideas. This allows his art to be accessible by anyone. Additionally he uses billboards to allow the public to see it anywhere and change the way we view the world.
   To me Montgomery's art was more fascinating at the possibility of going out and just seeing it. The way his words instantly make life sound more alluring was what made it reach out to so many people. Additionally how he presents his work is very bold showing how the art itself is in the words almost like a song but the music is the background noise of everyday life.
   Bruce Mclean created a piece using performance art by using his own body as the sculpture. This makes the work more interesting and lifelike to the viewer but also fun to see. His work creates a playful sense but due to the monotone colour it works in a serious way. It expresses how life even in black and white can be fun and doesn't always have to have a purpose which is something i believe the world needs reminding.
 On the other hand, Mary Kelly made her work personal by exposing her relationship with her son, showing how helping him grow makes her feel and think. This insight into her life is very personally but also shared amongst many other parents. For me it reminds me of my childhood but due to her basic colour chart, her work creates a sad mood when reflecting on it. However it also brings ideas about the future, Kellys work shows something that i could have which i can not think sadly about, despite how she expresses her fear.

Observational Drawing Pt. 3

 

 I used graphite to draw out the basic shape and shaded details of the books. Then using a blue pen i did continuous lines for the outline of the book cover.I like how the blue stands out but i struggled getting the angle right in the drawing as i was looking from below the books.

   Using lead i drew out the pine cone then shaded it all in. I used graphite to add definition to darker areas and used a rubber to create lighter ones. 

   On the next page i used a black pen to draw out the lines and shapes. I tried scraping a purple crayon over the entire drawing, i like how the crayon showed up subtly on the black creating nice layers.

   For this page i focused on lines and tones. I began with using a fineliner to draw out the details of the tyer. If i had more time i would've liked to add a darker area on the inside on the tyer. Next i used the point of the graphite to draw out the side section of the mannequin. I used a q tip to smudge some areas so it was easier to tell between the line details and shaded areas. 

   For the last bit i used graphite to draw and shade the chair leg. I decided not to smudge this one so i could focus more on shading. If i had more time i would improve it by making the shading more gradient and then add light by rubbing section out. 

   

   For the first drawing i focused on the lines around the edge of the speaker. Using a thin fineliner then adding more with a black felt pen which helped add definition in the darker more forward lines. For the actual speaker part i scribbled in blue pen in a diagonal direction for a base. Then layered on top with the fine liner doing continuous lines of small circles. This then proceeded to using a green crayon to see how the layering would affect. Overall i don't really like the colour or final outcome, although the bright colours help add attention to the speaker where the music would come out so i see how being colourful also benefits what it is showing. 

   On the next page i drew out a ripped piece of paper in pencil and added shading, then using graphite to add darker areas and make the lines stand out more. I screwed up the page so it appeared more like the ripped piece as imperfect and discarded. Using the graphite i scraped it over the page so it would pick up on the creases. 

   I scribbled all over the page using lead, then drew out the shape of the book. Using a green crayon i tried adding it to the book cover but it just picked up the lead from the page. This made it appear darker and grittier. I went onto the next page which creates a brighter contrast. This lead onto using biro and black pen on shading this bucket but i ripped the page instead.  This lead to me creating another version of the rope with part of the page covered. I used purple chalk this time but didn't really smudge it all over the page so it didn't have the same effect. 

   Even though i didn't finish this i really like it. Using the blue pen i drew out the dried up flower and added more lines to create shade. Then using a pencil i quickly shaded over the drawing. The bright colour really makes the lines stand out but keeps it pretty simple too, i would definitely take this further and try again.

   I finished this book by sticking the last page down to the back cover and pulling back the page to create a hole. Using charcoal i created a spiral as if it was a dark tunnel transporting you somewhere else. This was inspired by the tunnel from Coraline that turns dusty and grey when she discovered what the other world was truly like. I smudged the charcoal on the page and creating fingerprints to appear mucky and used, so it was obviously used like a person crawled into it and never came out. I let the charcoal mark the other page as the thin lines are interesting marks like a map. This piece has a lot of space to be improved. A song called "Dream Sate" by Son Lux helped me vision a series of magnificent sights. Beginning with a dark night with bright glistening stars, the black sky moves as black painted, hands that were interlocked together break apart, turning around and grab the stars. Thus making the entire sky pitch black as they cover the stars. Subtle movements are then seen as if it was black liquid. Suddenly you are falling as it grows distant and you find yourself falling through this tunnel that looks paper thin and hints of purple and blue begin to show. At a certain moment in the song you hear sounds of nerving, glistening, noises and wind chimes. To me this sounds as if something is coming alive and i picture drifting through the dark sky again as the stars re appear glistening as diamonds but also with blue birds made of clear glass. I feel the blue birds are distantly inspired by the film Journey to the Centre of the Earth as i remember the moment in the cave as the characters believe they are looking at stars but soon realise they are flying blue birds.

   For my final piece i relied a lot on using charcoal. First i scraped it over the page picking up markings from the wall and i ripped up a chip cone and placed it under the page for the same reason. It didn't pick up on the pattern on the chip cone but the edges appeared. Using the blue pen i began drawing out the pine cone but the charcoal stopped the pen from working so i moved onto a red pen. The colour didn't really show up on the charcoal so i would need to find an alternative for it to show. I used graphite for the lighter shading on the outside of the pine cone and charcoal on the darker inside.  I used a rubber to create lighter areas then tipex for where the light hit it. Unfortunately as the pen colours didn't show through the pine cone blended into the background. Also the pine cone wasn't in the centre of the page. I was gonna add leaves under the pine cone but if i did the pine cone larger it would be the main focus. I do like how i have left a white border, almost like a frame.

Observational Drawing Notes

Observational Drawing Pt. 2

   I used a light HB pencil to add shade to the whole page then used charcoal to draw out the shell shape and add the dark dips, using a q tip to smudge the charcoal. Then i used a rubber to remove some charcoal and added white chalk to let the two colours fade together better.
   On the next page i covered half of the page with paper. Using charcoal again, i did a basic outline of the rope of the shadowed areas. Next i used a cotton ball to smudge more charcoal on the page then adding more to the lighter rope side so it stands out against the background. Using a HB pencil i drew out the rope lines then went over with fine liner on the darker side. I like the effect of covering half the page. Unfortunately i used pen on the next page and it shows through, however i also think it works as the lines look almost like lighter rope in contrast.



   I enjoy doing continuous lines with a pen, for this i used a fine liner. By doing smaller lines it helped add shading underneath the can. I swapped to a red ink pen for a more basic outline that helps it really stand out. I could of possibly tried to smudged the ink to see what effect it could create. Additionally i like the dimension of the shape as it creates character and a broken, abandoned feeling to the whole image.
   For the next page, i like the layering as it creates subtlety but also is quite bold as one. I scraped charcoal over the whole page then used a ripped envelope seal (sticky side) to smudge it. Next i added more charcoal lines in a diagonal direction and left it so it appears darker. I drew out the shell and added the dark areas with charcoal. However i used white chalk to add lighter areas by smudging it with the charcoal but also rubbing out small bits for light. I added outlines with graphite and overall i like the effect.


   I began the basic outline of the corn with fine liner, doing continuous lines, of only small sections. I added different shades of the corn using coloured crayon and pens randomly. Using graphite i made one corner of the page darker and fading it out by smudging the graphite with my fingers. I glued a ripped piece of cardboard to the page which represents the can that was next to the corn. Using charcoal i added small detail like the crack son the cardboard.
  The next page over i looked more closely at the roots of the corn. Using charcoal i created random lines in similar directions, then used a fine liner to add the thinner hairs that went in different directions. I smudged any excess charcoal by dabbing the page with a cotton ball.


   I used the side of a  blue crayon to draw on the page as it picked up the the dents from the cardboard on the page over. I like this as it was out of my control of what would appear. I then included the lines in a drawing of the shell. I like the random effect as it stands out but also fits in with the drawing. I used fine liner for the basic outline. I wanted to keep it quite basic so there was a strong contrast between the two sides. I found that the fineliner struggled to draw where the crayon was on the page. I used graphite to create deeper lines on the shell but stopped using it when reaching the crayon.

Observational Drawings

   For the observational drawing i had a piece of white coral. I didn't particularly like this as it had no simple shape, but to begin with i tried it.

For my first piece i looked at one side of the coral that had a cave like dip in. Using charcoal i roughly drew this out then ripped up an interesting headline from a newspaper and glued it underneath. I felt the words "agony" and "guilt" brought an interesting concept. Using a cotton ball, i smudged the charcoal around the page then used a q tip and rubbed it against the charcoal piece and drew out the coral features on top. The q tip didn't add much density as it only left a light mark on the page. I also found it difficult to capture the little detail on the coral.

   On the left page i drew out the coral from a different angle using a fine liner pen and continuous lines. Then i used various coloured crayons to randomly layer over each other. I like the cross overs and the way the crayons mixed and marked the page. As the biro looked lost under all the crayon i used the charcoal to create a rough outline.
   On the right page i just used a HB pencil doing continuous lines. I changed pressure for darker areas and used a more scribbly technique.







   I began drawing out the coral using a black biro, then turned my book upside down and continued drawing. Doing that threw me off a bit as i had to try and look at the coral a different way. Then i changed the black biro to a red ink pen. I really like the contrast on the colours and using the red i tried to highlight specific areas and add small coral details.
   In the middle of the page i drew out the coral again using a H5 and B6 pencil at the same time. Doing this was interesting but it was hard to notice the H5 pencil amongst all the scribbling as the B6 covered it. Next i changed the shading pencils to a brown and green colouring pencil. Using different colours helped add details in some areas and attempted adding shading. Holding two pencils made it harder to do small details and as the colouring pencils weren't particularly sharp they didn't stand out much. I would like to try this technique on a much simpler design so the different lines are easier to see as i think it could look quite effective.

Art That Changed The World

Berlin Wall:

  The Berlin Wall is of great significance as it captures an entire country's emotion and devastation; marking it in history. The remaining wall was split into sections allowing more than one artist to express these shared feelings in their different styles. This allows more people to be drawn in as different art appeals to different people, allowing a vast majority to understand the feeling of freedom, life and importance of humanity in Germany. 

   For me being able to walk next to the wall and see all these different arts was mesmerising. I noticed a lot of light blue was used throughout a majority of the paintings, creating this soft, sometimes mellow tone. The light blue helped convey this mood of freedom and clarity almost as if looking at a clear sky and leaving behind this depression that was holding Germany down. The picture to the right shows one of the artworks that conveys a claustrophobic feeling through the never ending faces piled on top of one another. It's hard to identify a significant feature from each face showing how everyone has been stripped from any individuality. However every single face shares an agonizing expression that really haunts the viewer. 

Induction Work

                                   
   The induction task was to collect 10 photos from the summer holiday. The top left piece I did was from an idea that came to me of the upside down buildings and the other way round would be of a figure running away. I pictured this of how stressful life/work can be and the need to escape. Then I developed this idea into the one that relates to me. The black, acrylic painted, buildings represent school, work and the stress of GCSEs. Then by dripping the paint down and into waves it represents my holiday in Slovenia by a lake, i used pink and blue ink for the background. Originally it would of been red ink that fades to white, if i had stuck with the running figure; the red would also come across as harsher creating a more forward frustrated feeling towards a viewer. Overall i like the idea of this piece but i would like to improve specific techniques. For instance i would try a different texture for the buildings making it less straight edged as i feel the layout is too fixed.
   The next painting across is a watercolour painting i had began drawing in the woods. The two trees in the image are the only part i had done live drawing of. Also i took a picture of a wooden fence i saw in a different woods to use to see the discolouring of the wood. The reason why i fabricated the rest of the painting was because painting a bunch of trees didn't seem too interesting at the time. The lighter colours in the background also seem more welcoming and summer like. I did a bit of paint layering but i also believe i could've added some fineliner to add little details like on the leaves.
   Below the watercolour painting was an experimental piece of a festival i went too. This abstract piece included a lot of printing. I used ink to create the sky then added white acrylic, whilst it was still wet, to add subtle clouds to show a warm sun set in the sky. The main part of this painting is the stage all in black acrylic, i used black as it was quite realistic to real stages and it stands out against all the other colours in this. It shows how the stage is the main attraction as all the people crowd around it. I feel i need to work on adding texture in acrylic as i attempted this with the stage but didn't get a great effect. I did some messy printing using scrapers and kitchen equipment for lights on the stage, then i used the same colours for the crowd. I cut out triangles from sponges and glued them to a rolling pin to see the effect on printing. I believe it could work better if my acrylics were not so watery. I used different colours to show how many different people are brought together to enjoy something they all liked and shared. However if i was to repeat this i would use the same colour for the triangles but in different shades and i would layer them to give a better feel for viewing the crowd from the back.
   My last painting was to represent my older brother getting married. I first drew out the hands then proceeded to shade one entirely with black ink. I used fine liner to outline the other hand then poured coffee on the page. My original idea was to use black coffee to drip round the edge but instead i used brown ink. I like the way the ink spread on the page, it was suppose to add shade behind the hand but as i had no control over where it went i quite like how it has gone over the hand too. This was quite a simple painting but i quite like it as it is effective focusing on the married couple.
   Lastly, i used a sewing machine to sew all the pieces together. I wanted some of the thread to be loose and messy as it makes it more visible. I added lace to show my interest in vintage fashion and a piece of flowery fabric that i felt complimented the ink colour on the wedding piece. I accidentally sewed the watercolour painting too far away so i used wire to sew them together; i had also never used it before. I included a metal circle to show how each of the paintings are connected. This also let me tie ribbons and fabric too. I didn't get time to sew the circle down and i would also have improved it by placing the ribbon more fixed around the edge as it moves out of place.