Week Three

Time goes fast, I am already on the week tree in my studies. My autumn depression is creeping in, so it does not help with my concentration, but anyway...

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In Visual Studies we are now doing screen printing, I did that briefly last year in Textiles, were we also had different workshops. I do like screen printing, it is fascinating seeing your desired pattern appear and the best thing is that you can use it again and again, were mono printing was one off image.

The aim of the workshop part I was to create an image, which tutor then will put on the screen for us to use next week. It requires to be layered, two tone so we needed to think what could work best in this case.

As I did freehand drawings last year - this time I wanted to try something different and been selecting some of my photographs.

So I choose photograps from two different cocations IRON BRIDGE and Paris EIFFEL TOWER both having one thing in common Steal. I reverse them as well maybe to create a better effet, but I realized than black in this case will be a colour so I really need images as they are.
With a high quality photo you can get a very nice image, so I only hope my are good enough. The basic idea is that my photos will be separated into different layers of colour, and printed one at a time. A great aspect of this process is that by overlapping the layers you can create additional colours.

I went for architectural feel as there is a texture and nice patterns. I had some images of cars and my kids but I think if it works it will be great, lets just hope I have something to show you next week.

It will look similar to image bellow, two screens combine into one image.

I probably need to think carefully about choosing the right colours.

So yes that was my Wednesday morning was sort of  going trough my archive and choosing and reversing images.

Last week we was doing cut up self portraits as a result I made two, one on sort of basic level, one more like a collage, I like them both as there is more than one person within me ~ always

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As I mentioned in previous post, we had a guest lecturer Gavin Watson, so our Study Skills with Lance was that instead, which I don't mind :) Also no homework, but on other hand I still need to think about my presentation and also big writing piece we need to hand in second week of November. :o.

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Thursday in Fine Art, we continue to explore and research materials concerning our chosen theme, which for me will be abstract painting. I have a feeling that is is sort of thing that pulls me and I feel need to paint that way. Also my longing for a sea has an impact, so really I want to create something simple and beautiful using oils this time. I fallowing one artist who in my opinion is a master of seascape oil paintings. When I look at her works I am straight being drawn into this engaging scenery. I can feel that energy of clouds - powered by stormy weather. She`s name is Caro SaintVire - she works within the field of abstracted realism, inspired by the breathtaking natural world around her. It is inspired me and I am on the quest to paint within that style, but with added texture to it. I always was mad about feeling the painting, not just seeing, its almost like an art for a blind.

So yes there is lots research to be done and lots of methods to explore before I even attempt to face the brush.

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Illustration - my favourite NOT - we been given brief with deadline of 9.11 - produce an artwork showing physical and facial expression - no smaller than A2.

I just feel so down as its not my thing - people, but somehow I need to get on with it and keep calm.
So I am thinking of drawing my children. I found a few pictures what would be suitable, so I'm working on how to choose the right one. There is two very strong contenders:

My family - THE SQUAD - or just my two go carting along the seaside.
I will try to draw some faces over the week see what comes out better - so that's it really for this week, I'm off to study.

  

GAVIN WATSON - guest lecturer

This week we all had an opportunity to meet quite extraordinary person - photographer Gavin Watson. Born in London in 1965 and grew up on a council estate in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire he developed interest in photography whilst capturing skinhead friends in High Wycombe, who was very much part of his life, as he was one of them.

He told us how he suddenly made this transformation from shy boy to unbeatable skin influenced by band called "Madness".

As a young teen from High Wycombe Watson was able to capture the true life of the skinhead scene in  England - his photography grew into something far greater after his photos - began being recognized as a rare look inside this particular culture. All he was doing just capturing his friends never even thinking anything about it. He manage to do that really no one else were thinking doing at the time and as a result he have now archive of photographs showing quite significant history of England in 1980`s. 

“The photography itself wasn’t really a big deal. (Watson said) a lot of people now think that it was a big deal to be taking photos back then. But it was just a massive working-class hobby. Fucking huge! You could get hold of a camera in a snap. 
My photographs are rare  because no one else really decided to photograph the mundane life of what they were seeing around them. I photographed it because I was a coward — I’ve never asked a stranger if I could take their photograph. I was safe with my friends. That’s why I was a skinhead — because I felt safe, and safe to photograph them...

He told us that to succeed we really need to look around us and find something, what no one else haven't discovered. "There is a lot of photographers out there, and competition is very big"..

It was really interesting and inspiring talk and proves once again my favourite saying ~ `That  luck and talent its not all you need ~ being in the right place in the right time is a key to success.`

His work now mainly is concentrated around fashion industry, who he discovered in 2008. As a future project is to make a book about skin tones, as there never been any. So once again he encouraged us to look for something what's not yet been  observed.

more info - fallow this link:
http://www.gavinwatsonarchive.com/