New Year # week 14

This is it all deadlines completed. Handed in and now to wait for results.

As I mentioned before two of assignments I finished before Christmas to make more time for much deeper and difficult tasks as my Fine Art piece and Illustration.

I thought as a conclusion I revisit my final projects to list them again.

VISUAL STUDIES

 As final work for Glitch Project I considering this my best work so far. Not because I spent good amount of time researching, thinking an realizing my ideas, bet because I dare to do what I haven't done before.
Lots of my fellow students choose sort of similar paths in their works, whatever assignment they undertake. Usually its portrature. Wanted to be a bit different I THINK I did the right thing going for sculpture, which in the way challenged me.

As an abstract artist I could just make a mess on canvas and present it as my glitch.

Hope that teaching staff will also see that and I will get good marks.

Looking forward to next assignment.

STUDY SKILLS

As for this subject, also I finished all by Christmas. To be honest I wanted it out of the way of practical tasks I had.

There was two briefs to complete - one Study Skills overview with 3000 +/- words, which I completed way before we break up and gave in for proofread. Once that been approved with right adjustments I submitted hoping for best.

My problem is I am not English - so there is a lot of consider when reading my work. Sometimes I think college staff forgets about it. As soon as I am done with first year I want to apply for online creative writing course. I do feel need to express myself better and hopefully improve my English skills.

Presentation was other task to be completed Theme - something I don't like- dislike or even hate in art.

Pacifist in nature, its hard for me to hate something. There is lot of strange art around, and its not for me to criticize it, so I choose my other second best media ~ Photography. There was always one image, I been coming across thinking HOW it could be worth so much. My previous post pretty much in lighted me on this subject. Sad but sure that it was scam also.

Rhine II 1999           

from wiki:

Rhein II is a photograph made by German visual artist Andreas Gursky in 1999. In 2011, a print was auctioned for $4.3 million (then £2.7m), making it the most expensive photograph ever sold....

There is some sort of unique style in all Gorky's works and if you have a chance, take a look at his website :http://www.andreasgursky.com/en. Still my presentation was, that I m not sure if this images is worth of money it went for. I don't doubt he's artistic skill and influences, but if there is one thing I don't like it has to be it.

FINE ART

My favourite and truly loved by me subject. As you know already I was working on my final piece over the Christmas holidays, trying to finish as quickly possible, to be able to let it dry.

...an there it is...


   

FROZEN

As I tried to get texture using oils - it was not  a smooth road as I thought it would be. There is limited possibility for oils to make texture what I desired. So after experimenting, with plasters - fillers, acrylics I only used oils to get a colour I needed. Base is build  up with layers of plaster filler and acrylics. I did some scraping to get sort of chipping off effect.

I am pleased with it. It is simple contemporary piece. What not obligate viewer with anything. Inspired from could winters of my childhood I wanted to capture not a landscape as such, but frozen ground ~ its like if you look below the horizon line - that's all you see....

ILLUSTRATION

It all started with good intentions. I did like an idea ~ Sherlock Homes is one of my fav characters of all times.

I had a lot of ideas, but trying them out one by one I got more frustrated, than satisfied. Watercolours did not bleach. Ink was too blue. Old newspapers I wanted to use as background too expensive.... and one by one all my ideas went leaving me with blank sheet. That is then I thought I will do something different and make illustrations digitally, as that is the format it required anyway. Having a sacks of London photos, there was no problem match images to the text. Once that's done I made them into digital sketches and it really suited the atmosphere of the book itself.

Probably the best outcome would be screen print them, bet there is always that time which we don't have. Screen-printing, would defiantly give me right texture and ink colour I wanted.

As that was not an option I ask permission not submit my illustrations. Not being 100 % what is required its wont be fair to make more competition for people who are really trying and want to win.

So yes there is my final 4, look past and try imagine those images on rough paper screen printed.

WEEK NINE

This week flew by, more because we were left alone to work on whatever we are doing. So really, I been mostly doing independent studies.

VISUAL STUDIES

Still into glitch research I’m trying to find more sculptural work by other artists. As I explored before, there are mostly woodwork which is not really what I have in mind. This week I will finally move on to start some practical experiments as I want to hand in week early. There are lots of ideas in my head, but am not sure if I will be able to bring them to life. As I mentioned before it would be easier for me to do just drawing or photography, but I really want to push my boundaries and come up with something more complicated than that. It’s sort of ambition, but I need to try it first, as I never done any sculptural work it could all go to dust once I start, so till then it is hard to tell what my final piece will look like. Will keep you posted about my progress.

So therefore, this week’s reflective entry in particular studies is quite short, mainly because I need to do some practise before - in order to talk about it.

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STUDY SKILLS

Here also we are nearly done. We have set of tasks to go with. Check lists to go through and some entries to fill. To be honest at home all my spare time last week I spend on this subject trying my best to come up with Summary what we learned so far. Written work (up to 3000 words) about main points of study skills and how to apply them into practise.

I spend all Monday and Tuesday writing, analysing, researching and reading. It is not something that comes easy for me as I’m not born English, this is my third language I speak and sometimes I think the structure of sentences don’t make sense, or is grammatically incorrect I’m trying my best thou and I thinking of taking creative writing course over the summer, which can possible improve my writing style. Till then it is what it is and I’m apologise if that’s not how it should be. Thanks God I have at least spelling check.

So – yes after two days of writing I give it my work in for proof reading, as on my latest 1000-word piece I got not the best comments, but that was just week notice and I wasn’t able to show anyone before submitting. So, I hope it wouldn’t need too much improvements or even worse, start again, as I really done with writing. It takes up so much energy and mostly time, that there is nothing left and I still have other assignments to complete, work to go and my kids, who also have homework. It’s tough. So fingers crossed, not too much bad comments from tutors side.

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FINE ART

The main reason why I even on this course – my favourite subject. I feel I really behind there thou as all my efforts goes elsewhere and because I’m experimenting with oils the don’t dry a s***t. I do love oils but amounts I’m putting on not the best for speed up drying…sometimes I think…hey let’s go back to acrylics, but then I return to my canvas and praying for quick drying process. I BROUGHT some filler to gain texture and ordered plaster of Paris and plaster bandages, so next week I will work from home on Thursday, hopefully painting like mad.

Also, today we had a workshop – I do love workshops and this one was really interesting as Rowena shoved as how to paint with the BLEACH – you not mistaken. You know if someone would tell me next year you will start university and will discover great potential of Domestos I would laugh out loud. But joke on me….it was amazing. We used different papers and colours and then just put a bleach on top…could not believe its possible…magic. As I invest yesterday in some expensive parker ink in order to do some illustrations with it, this workshop kind of open my eyes on potential purpose and usefulness I could apply in my illustrations. As you know there is no way you can erase ink but you can with the bleach so it is definitely worth to consider.

Not bad effects hey!!... I would say its success. I used two different mediums and two different papers with therefore different qualities. I do like an outcome and I will keep experimenting more at home. Still can’t believe I can make art with the bleach.

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ILLUSTRATION 

As you aware I am trying to come up with ideas for Sherlock Homes short story illustrations. So far, I explored possibilities with monochrome watercolour painting and also purchased ink, probably to try use that. Stories are set in Victorian era so, get same feel of that time I think would be great.

I’m thinking draw illustrations on top of the writing – fragments from the book. Like in examples below, also bleaching workshop was very useful and give me some very good ideas.

I just need to find time to do it. 

 With Christmas approaching fast, and so much other things to do, it’s quite difficult to concentrate. 

Also, not being good at illustration is always a challenge.