Vincent - I LOVE YOU

I really hope than most people heard about Loving Vincent – the world’s first fully painted feature film.

I had an opportunity to go and watch it - I haven't been so excited for a while.   

...a beautifully textured tribute to Van Gogh / the TELEGRAPH

Every frame of Loving Vincent was oil-painted, in a process that took nearly seven years created by a team of 115 painters. All 65,000 frames were an oil painting on canvas, using the same technique as Van Gogh. I think it is remarkable achievement and I haven't seen anything like it.

As I am fallowing lots of artistic sites and pages on Facebook I knew that long ago, that sort of production taking place, but I never expected it to be so amazing. 

This week was a realise date, but unfortunately not many cinemas are showing this film, which is a shame. Luckily for me I found out its only showing near me will be in RED CARPET Cinema, which is more like alternative version of enjoying movies. If not that, then next nearest place would be Sheffield.

I think everyone who more or less is interested in art should go and watch it. I am not very good of writing reviews, but as far as I understand and feel -filmmakers wanted to immerse us viewers in the world and work of Vincent van Gogh. And what an amazing way to do so with breath-taking paintings creating moving images.

The plot involves an investigation (conducted by Armand Roulin, played by Douglas Booth) into how and why the artist died. 

I never experience movie being so alive, so bold with colours. Vincent always was one of my favourites and now I got to see him from even better perspective which will stay with me for a long time.

As impressionism lover, it was truly amazing to see it on the big screen and I highly recommend MUST WATCH for everyone.

Find out more here:

http://lovingvincent.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_Vincent

One month - WEEK FOUR

One months been and gone already since I m in university. If first weeks was a bit confusing and frustrating, but I am now feeling more confident and happier. They main reason is that I am more or less up to date, with all required work, sketchbooks etc. and believe me it is not an easy task for me, I had to go to work also, sacrifice some time with my children and completely give up house work.

The possible struggle with studies I am expecting from next year as I taking over a small gallery and will have to be there full time, but I will think about it in January.

SO THIS WEEK VISUAL STUDIES I meant to be screen-printing, but my images been put on different screens with other student work and they was using it. I end up not having this practical workshop - all hopes for next week.

Left without screen I been asked to look at CUT UP TYPOGRAPHY and find out as much possible about it. Good part of the morning was spend researching and looking into this subject. I found some grate examples and also made some of my own. Still need to do wright up and fill my sketchbook.

There are some good links to get an idea /mainly pin interest/:

 https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/76420524897235020/?lp=true

 https://www.pinterest.co.uk/radiuscollege/pop-up-typography/?lp=true

Next week we going digital and its sets panic in me as I`m rubbish at it, but will see. Hopefully I end up screen printing instead. :)

STUDY SKILLS: I am so proud with myself, my article been marked and I got a good feedback, it was readable and this is the main thing. Also this weeks topic was REFLECTING STUDIES. As I already been warned  before - reflection is important part of creative process and studies itself, so to have Reflective Journal is essential for every student and  creative person. All students on my course from now on have to have sort of Reflecting diary, it could be a notepad, sketchbook, word document etc. Being organized I already started this blog as part of my reflection from week one, so really I am  caught up with everything so far, which makes me happy. There is nothing worse than stressing out about your studies close to the deadline.

FINE ART - I was set to try out some experiments with oils and how to create a texture with it. I been reading lots of materials and watching quite a bit of tutorials regarding texture. I brought my oils and brushes with me but I was in for surprise. Really good surprise. Rowena was holding workshops an we all were welcome to attend.

First part of the morning was watercolours, how to create a washes and paint beautiful sky's. I love watercolours and feel so unskilled. No matter how hard I try I struggle to come even close to satisfying image. I think my problem is that I am to harsh to handle such media, I expect something that watercolours don't do. It was so amazing to watch Rowena and she's light brush strokes and the easy style - I am not sure if I ever going to produce something worth looking at in watercolours, but I so want to. I been practising at home, watching tutorials. I invested in some good paper and colours, but nothing ~ in the end result is the same. To prove my point I have an image I took of my watercolour creation I did during this workshop. :(

   

Its sort of level on pre school I shall say. Rowena was so nice and said its not my fault ~ paper is crap, but well its hardly believable, I have much better paper at home and results are the same. It just not meant to be for me.

Where is acrylics or oils are different story. Our second part of Fine art was to sort of create same washes but using oils and it went much better.

Rowena even prepared specially textured board keeping me in mind, so I really, really enjoyed this workshop.

I haven't finished as oils is not just one days job, but there is sort of idea. I went for turquoise and yellow and its end up looking like scene from Iceland ~

Rowena suggest to try and  flip image around and surprisingly it worked and maybe even better!

I still will come back to it next week and update you with the progress.

That was my busy enjoyable morning, I love practical stuff and being back to our second floor studio was also a delight. Hate the room we are in currently, dark and small. I don't understand why we HE students cant get better room. People who doing digital stuff have much better rooms and they don't really depend on light as all done on computers. We artists who live by light are placed in the cupboard.

That's my moan for a week :).

Anyway I looking forward to next weeks workshops and also my independent studies at home. I am still thinking of doing abstract oil painting, so I need to start finalize an idea of it.

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ILLUSTRATION. My challenge. As I was doodling at home, trying to come to more easer solution for my problematic task I had an idea. Few years back I finished 2 year photography course with distinction and my final project was images I created inspired by one of my favourite horror movies (I `m a BIG movie Fan, but its not art related :)), ~ RING : supernatural story about troubled soul named Samara. Back then I used my daughter as model to recreate the story in photographs. So what if I will draw my daughter this time instead. It could be emotionally enough I would say, but on other side it feels like "deja vu" as I sort of done it before.

Looking trough my images I really liked one, where my both kids are on the seaside in Cornwall. I still can recall that day, the wind, the waves, their excitement, but shoving this image to Paul didn't go down well as it said its not much facial expressions here :( So I confronted him and say if I cant do the one I want I will be doing one I can. /He agreed on the Cornwall after seeing my second choice :)/

So what you think.?!! My problem is I struggle with faces, if I draw or paint face it has to look like the person, if its not its so frustrates me. I did like one where all my family on holiday, but that is a lot of faces there. In these images you can still clearly see the emotions what subjects represents and it makes my life easier by  drawing it.

I don't know...I will  practise and see what looks better. Knowing me I could end up with two works in the end.

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/

MORE SENSE - week two (2)

After week two I feel much better as everything slowly start making sense. I start better understand structure of university studies, the tasks I require to do, the importance of researching and reflecting etc.

I was student before on complete different course in complete different country - and to be honest the main idea is the same - a lot of self studies. Tutors really there for a guidance - to point you in some sort of direction, but which path to choose is entirely up to ourselves.

As usual Wednesday started with VISUAL STUDIES - I do enjoy this class. There are lots of practical work rather than research, research part is left to us when we leave.

This week we been looking CUT UPS - cut up photographs where  manipulating the original image you create more interesting result.

The theme we suppose to look at is S E L F - producing self portrait in same style, using cut up technique. I did some research and selected some of my photos, but I am still thinking of the best way to approach this task. I have a lot of ideas I will update my blog with a possible outcome. It makes me exited and I look forward to this homework.

STUDY SKILLS with Lance went much better, and I am back on track with understanding what he is actually asking from us.

Howard Referencing was the first topic of many more to come, what will gradually improve our studies and lead us to our final work up to 3000 word essay.

Also FINE ART with Rowena was quite productive Thursday morning- leading us to explore contemporary art as it is today, what sells, what's on the top, who makes what?!! This is an un going search, for our own final work, it could be anything we want as long as we can explain why we chose what we choose, what kind of reasons are behind it, what driven us to go for it.

Rowena wants us to explore not just internet and books, but also publications, go to galleries, read magazines. It is a bit easier for me as working in gallery I do know todays market, I also have an idea what is it what sells at the moment as meeting young artists every day I see also what customers want, depends of course of what class of people they coming from and also location is very important when selling art. So yes I do have some knowledge, but I don't have idea what to make.

We been promised pottery class, but now is more of if you want you can just join in. I went down to 3d room, but all I got is bring some designs, some sketches, some ideas. Thing is I never worked with clay before, I really want to, but not having a simple beginners course I am not sure if I am confident to join the class with no clue what to do. I will start looking elsewhere for ceramic classes, I am not sure if I ever get to do them under a college roof. Funny enough I join the college foundation curse last year only because on course overview was stated ceramics and now I am in uni and still not even close to clay making....

Anyway I am on the research path at the moment, so I will report back later.

ILLUSTRATION - new session new challenges, if I thought last one was bad, this was even worse not in direct sense, but listen we had to draw ourselves from reflection in the mirror. I am not a mirror person, I do look in occasionally in the mornings just to check if my hair still on, but draw my emotions from it that was high level task for me and in the end its even didn't look like me. I know Paul sad it is all part of creative process etc, but common its was hard. 

So yes it was better an more productive week. Having lots of home studies to do, but over all its getting more exiting.
 By the way we lost another person - just decided its not for him...so we are 5 now...just wish we do not loose any more.

My studies (1.) Week One

First week of introduction of what university is all about leave me a bit sad and disappointed.

My course basically will consist of two full days a week, where rest of the time is self studies at home or using facilities provided on site. The amount of learning, we briefly get introduced, left everyone, not only me, in shock state. Like I already mention in Intro, this is complete different level and even pass rate will be difficult task. As a person who always had a distinctions I doubt my ability this time.

Also we are let down by facilities - as specializing in fine art we were meant to get studio space, but instead we are down to dark college classroom.There is no much practical stuff yet but when it comes to it the space provided is very poor. I am not sure if there is anything we can do, but I feel very let down as this wasn't what I expected going on higher education level course.

So far I enjoyed Visual Studies workshop where we get to mono print again. Visual studies will consist of several workshops and experimentations, where in the end we will need to produce our own work based of what we enjoyed the most.

There are some of my mono printing examples, produced during a session. I found that ghost prints worked much better.

I think its been while since I done any mono printing at all and I just pressed too hard against the surface, making ink at first very bold and smudged all over the paper, where ghost prints was labour of luck and come out really nicely. 

The theme was food, so we all produce some good work.

At home I did some extra research and annotation making my new sketchbook presentable and ready for more.

~

After Visual studies, we all went to meet our course leader Lance and there everything went downhill. I am not sure how to call subject we will on with him, bet it will take the most of our time and effort.

As I understand there will be lots of writing, researching and talking about art industry itself etc. Lots of my course mates are very down and want to drop out, to be honest one already did. We where seven all together specializing in Fine art. Now we are six. 

We are in mixed groups with graphic designers, textiles and also other level students. I am not complaining about amount of work we will have to do, I just wasn't  expecting it - that's all. I am thinking, if I will get trough this ~ after first year I am booking myself on creative writing course. English not being my first language will make me struggle and I want to avoid that in years to come. So if you notice my sentences being out of order or do not make sense, be gentle of judging please.

~

Specializing on art course we only getting three hours of Fine art a week, it is shocking - instead other three is Illustration, which I am not keen on and would never choose as my subject whatsoever.

So Fine Art came with more research, theme focusing of American painters mostly after 1930s -
 

I got some books from library and I need to do some reading. I went for mainly abstract art, so I will see where that will lead me.

~

All my respect to Paul Eaton - probably most organized tutor there is, but I don't like Illustration. I am not good of drawing, sketching, or any other way producing work which involves people :( .... and guess what our first task is- produce weeks’ worth of sketches of people in public places, movements, emotions - basically life.

There is some of my examples of disaster, I wish I could sketch, I really do. I know that practise makes perfect, but still.


So there, that was my first week with all its ups and downs. I am still exited and still up for it, I just hope once I settle in everything will be all right.