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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

INTRO

I am back at college, but now as higher education student of Contemporary Art Practise from Staffordshire University.

I am excited and also frighten as this will be studies on complete different level with complete different marking system. The only thing hasn't change is familiar faces I missed over the summer. As lots of us from Level 3, choose to stay locally.

My course combines relevant industry theory, practical assignments and personal development study focusing on live client-led projects and practical work that promotes skill development and the expansion of individual and group creative thinking. Sounds a bit complicating I know. To be honest I rather be studying plain Fine Art course, lets say even Birmingham, (I did like the course overview there a lot) but unfortunately, having family commitments and also some work projects locally I cannot relocate or even spend a time travelling.

So focussing on what's uni life has me to offer I am ready to begin my journey and hopefully full fill my dream to have BA of Honours.

I'm starting this blog as part of my creative learning process, where I will have to reflect on my experience and studies in general throughout the years. 

We was asked to create a reflective journal, but I already struggled with that in the past as I am not a diary person and as English not being my first language is hard for me to proofread my own writing. Here typing away its all done automatically and also my work is clean and tidy. 

The blog will also allow me to add any extra information such as images. I think reflecting upon my work that way I be able express myself more clearly giving full impression about my studies.