Module intoductons and new ideas...again!

Today we had introduction lectures to modules we can choose to do next year. Today I went to all the lectures, keeping an open mind, about animation, visual communications, ceramics and fashion. I'm definitely interested in animation and couldn't help but get inspired from the introduction, so now I have a new idea, with help from my fellow students who give great advice.

I plan on taking my art on a little journey. Remember my little dough men made from clay? I plan on making another version of those little guys and placing them in (hopefully) amusing scenario's in our life size world. The contrast itself between the tin figure and in comparison our everyday objects should be amusing. The use of animated facial expressions should help too. I also want to try make a stop motion video. I've never made one before but it's worth a try and I'll have it here on my blog.

I plan on taking my little character with me on my everyday journeys and surroundings and taking photos in different situations. Literally taking my art on a journey. It also still includes the theme personal space since the little guy will be sharing my own journeys!

So textured paintings and my little animated adventure are two new ideas... Maybe I'm finally breaking down that wall?

my previous dough men. 

My latest tutorials and new idea!

I've had lots of tutorials last week. To some up the advice given to me, I need to start drawing from real life!!!!! It shows through the art. I have a habit of improvising, especially with colour. I like to use my own selection of colours rather than focusing on the realistic elements. In my latest tutorial I was told I need more work done. Problem is I've hit a bit of a wall... I'm getting tired of the topic I'm currently doing, Confined personal space, my tutors don't seem overly keen on it either so perhaps it's time to have a re think and move on.

My tutor also recommended doing a series of observational drawing. So I did just that! I made a small paper box and squashed different sized items inside it. I focused on the different folds in the crumpling box. The tension in the folds as it adapts to the larger object. This time it's a space adapting to an object basically.
From these drawings I noticed I was focusing a lot on textures, perhaps this is another area I could move onto? I think paintings of close up textures might be pretty interesting. Not very original I know but perhaps with the use of different materials I might be able to put my own little twist on things... think I'll give it a try.
Here are some of my observational dwings:

 

 

So far I have covered a series of different areas. It's really about time I settle down on one before my assessments after Christmas. Here is a list all with the theme of Personal Space:

• Sharing your space.
• Adapting to a space.
• Claiming a space.
• Hidden spaces.
• Confined spaces.

Hidden image behind another.

 



And now textures in a space. Think I'll start off by photographing everyday areas I travel on going to and from college and home. This way I would have a physical journey in my paintings, then paint a close up of the textures and details with emphasis on colour and brush strokes and even the materials I paint on. Hopefully it turns out well... we'll see!

I then continued my observational drawing by using a model. I made my boyfriend a victim of my observational studies  (sorry and thank you :P) by standing on the other side of the door to me and standng in front of the small window in the door. This small window acts like a frame. It relates to my paitings focusing on composition in an small space. I took a few quick photos and sketches. Here's some of what I came up with:

 thats all for now folks ...stay chuned!! :)

Magdalene Convent Project

For CCS (history), on Thursday mornings we have almost like the second part of CCS, separate from the main CCS lectures. In these small CCS's we were given a project.

A piece a student in my class did. Names of the women that were in the Magdalene Convent. A monument to the women who have died in Convent. A really nice gesture I think!

Background

 My college, LSAD, was once a Magdalene Convent. During the 1960's, religion in Ireland ruled the lives of it's people. Many things were considered sinful, especially sexual activities. A man and woman couldn't even look at each other in a romantic way if they didn't have the intention to marry first. If a couple became intimate and have sex before marriage this was considered a huge sin. Also during this time women had very little or no rights. The punishment for committing these 'sins' for women were incredibly harsh and cruel whereas men would receive very little punishment. When a woman commits these sins and isn't married, they are sent to a Magdalene Convent to work in the laundry's from morning till night without pay. Some women have spent their lives working in the laundries of the convent. Due to the fact that these women are in the Convent no matter the circumstances, they were banished from society. The families of the women were completely ashamed of these women. Parents disowned their daughters and wanted to have nothing to do with them.

Our Research

In my studio class group, we were assigned a project to write an essay with the theme about the Magdalene Sisters. We watched the film "Magdalene Sister's" itself. I never watched the film before because I was told it was really sad, I'm not very good with sad films! .. and they were right, it's a very sad reality based film to watch. I realised just how harsh things were back then. I know it's probably a dramatised version in the film or even holding back on the harsh realities of the time but fact that the film is based on real life makes things far more sad and realistic.
It's based around three main characters, all of whom who sent away to the Convent for their reasons.

• One was attacked and raped by her drunken cousin. She told her relative in tears who then told others. Her father in shame sent her away.
• Another had a baby, but she wasn't married. Her mother couldn't even look at her daughter or the baby out of shame despite the young woman's pleading. Her baby was taken away for adoption and she was sent away to the Convent.
• The third, a young beautiful woman, still in school (a boarding school I think), received to much attention from men. Head of the school sent her away, she was believed to be a temptress... despite her being a virgin!

So as you can probably see, these women suffered greatly reasons where it was either not their fault or for no reason at all, simply for being pretty. I can't help but think what if we were still so suppressed by religion, what would it be like?, especially if you were a woman. I imagine it would be a difficult life to live, having to be cautious of every word you spoke and every action you take. No freedom whatsoever.

We also watched documentaries about interviews with actual women who eventually were released from the prison or work house that they called a Convent. Watching it nearly brought me to tears. The awful life stories they had to tell. I'm even lost for words to describe what those women must have felt.
So here, you can see for yourself, despite being sad it is also interesting and you can't help but admire and respect these strong women ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtxOePGgXPs

There was an exhibition here at LSAD by Evelyn Glynn. She wanted the history about the Magdalene Asylums to be known by everyone. Ireland's religious societies tried keeping it hidden for many years. We were asked to write a review of her exhibition along with a review of the "Magdalene Sister's" and also for our digital presentation we were asked to write about our contribution. We started off with the topic of stairs. Influenced by a previous students artwork. My contribution was basically taking photos of stairs at interesting angles. Unfortunately my work wont be included in the digital presentation.

So now, time to write this essay. I will put it on my blog after I have submitted it :) Think I'll do the same with my Renaissance essay too sometime, we'll see!!

...stay chuned! :)

Tutorial and latest work

Tutorial
Hmmm I'm feeling a little frustrated. Seems none of my tutorials are going that well. Maybe I'm just not good at explaining my ideas and work properly... but I'm not giving up hope, eventually I'll make something that will wow everyone, sooner or later!

Main points given to me were draw or paint from real objects, be more realistic or convincing. In my paintings, they are quite colourful, personally I think the colours are more interesting than normal skin tone colours. Also, I'm to literal and obvious with my pieces. I guess I need to spice things up a bit and keep people guessing... easier said than done though!

Next I will be moving onto sculptures. My tutor didn't really have much to say about my paintings, so I guess it's time to go back to 3D work.

Latest work
I did some more bits  and pieces on Confined Personal Space.

 Painting with an oil bar, scraped away the outline of the figure

 

Simple painting of a curled up figure.

 Pen drawing of a curled up woman

 

Pen drawing of a woman confined to a box

 

Indian Ink drawing. Bit animated, focus on colour

 

 A more detailed painting, focusing on brush strokes and colour

 

Painting, less colourful. I like to use the sheet of paper itself as the outline of the confined space, so she is confined without physically being confined in space.

 

 

  I went to the print workshop and did these two quick mono prints by simply drawing on the acetate. Woman confined to a space.

 

To do a mono print you have to remove excess ink with a piece of paper. This is just a print of the excess ink. I drew a figure onto the print with tipex. I'm not wasting a thing!

 

My wall so far to get the sense of scale.

 

This weekend I'll be focusing on my big CCS essay on the Renaissance I have to do, then I have another essay to do on a class project for the second part of CCS based on the Magdalene Sister's due to history of the college.... busy busy!

.......stay chuned!



Latest work

I've been busy with lots of different projects lately, two essays, a digital presentation related to the Magdalene Sister's and of course working away on the brief. Busy busy!

I've been researching and thinking of different confined spaces. Immediately thought of the term 'my little bubble' and being imprisoned, so I decided to combined the two.

Imprisoned

Wire bubble with a curled up clay figure inside.

  Sketch of the finished piece in my hand.

 

I then decided to experiment a little in my sketchbook (below). Making a layered paper hand coming out from the page. As if the hand is pressing against a wall and trying to push through.

 



 

I the started looking at the body in confined spaces. My main theme is personal space so it feels natural to include the human figure in my work. I also returned to painting, which I prefer doing. In the beginning  wanted to use different materials but I'm most comfortable with paint and I was finally properly enjoying doing my work. This is most likely where I went wrong from the beginning! I'm sticking to what I enjoy doing from now on and I think it shows in my work.

 

Here are some quick thumbnails or plans for paintings I want to do. Focusing on the human figure in a confined space. What I particularly like about these are the composition. It's gives a sense of being confined by zooming into the figure and parts of the figure go off the page. This somewhat relates to what my tutors were saying about coffins. I don't want to get into the doom and gloom of drawing lots of coffins or whatever but I took the advice into account and this is my interpretation of it.

 

These two are in my sketchbook. I was told the black and white abstract painting (above) looked similar to Matisse style of painting. That wasn't my intention but I'm proud to think I accidentally painted it like a world famous artist! The second panting is looking more at colour and composition.

This painting is tiny in comparison to the others. I was looking at composition, scale and a simple form of painting by just using two shades of purple. I think I'll make this into a collage too.

This is my main larger painting that I put more time and effort into and it's pretty big. I'm happy with the result!! Composition worked out well I think. I made it so that it looks like theres limited light entering this confined space so there is highlights on the skin where as parts of body fades into the darkness. I also love colour and wanted to add different tones so it doesn't look dull but also not overwhelming the piece.

Here is my wall to give you a sense of the scale of the piece's.

Hope you like my latest work! .... stay chuned! :)

Form Development and Psychogeography Seminar

I haven't had a sem dem for a while due to the blog and Progree Reviews, every is busy! The last one's I had were on the 15th. Form Development and Aspects of Psychogeography. Sounds fancy doesn't it? but it's actually quite simple.

Form Development
For this we looked at ceramics. We were shown different ceramic pieces by many different artists. I made sure to write down every artist mentioned so I could look them up later, here's some of their work.


Takeshi Yasuda

Richard Notkin



 

Ai Weiwei

Hundreds of thousdands of individually hand made porselin sunflower seeds

 

 

 

Stine Jespersen

 

Claire Curneen

 

Ole Jensen

 

Merete Rasmussen

 

Fenella Elms

 

Paul Scott

 

Psychogeography

This is a way of researching. Basically a fancy term for walking around, 'drifting', and taking in your suroundings. During this seminar we were shown a series of artists works...
 

 
Aileen set up a walk through the countyside with some locals. This allows them to admire the countryside for theemselves and explore areas they haven't been before.


Kathy Prendergast. Makes her art using maps.

Laura Oldfield. Explores different areas and draws old abandoned cityscapes.