Exercise:- Free Expression - Quiet Night

I had quite got into the swing of the free expression painting so decided I would try a final painting along these lines.

I chose quiet night and used wax resist and building tonal layers to represent the rising moon and darkening sky as the night progresses. The tone seems to become more peaceful as it darkens. I particularly enjoyed the building multiple layers aspect if this painting again, and am quite surprised as myself as I am not sure I particularly enjoyed this aspect earlier jn the course! 

I used indigo in various wash strengths to indicate the darkening sky, and really like the texture of this particular paint pan which seems to be shine to good effect with thus method of painting.

Exercise: Free expression - Desert

I really wanted to keep this piece minimalist, so I was surprised after laying the first wash of paint just how minimal it ended up being!

I started with some rolling lines in wax crayon which I then painted between. 

I then allowed that first layer to dry. While I was looking at the painting I really felt that adding more colour would probably make the painting loose its simplicity. It was a very hard thing to resist filling the paper with painting but I decided if I worked on another painting it may make me feel less driven to add more paint to Desert 1. 

I then worked in a hot red tone which I had already mixed in preparation for adding to the above image. I wanted this painting to continue the theme without being a copy of Desert 1. 

This was the resultant painting, Desert 2

The red is fairly heavily saturated but I have tilted the paper as the paint dried to create a shaded effect. I am really enjoying the simplicity of simply exploring the qualities of watercolour again as I opt for a simpler abstract approach.

Finally I felt this series would not be complete without a third painting, bridging the gap between red and yellow by choosing a vibrant orange. These are all the warm colours I originally intended to use for the initial completed painting.

For Desert 3 I tilted the paper for quite a while longer to allow the paint to dry with a very definite shading to the dried paint which I thing suggests a three d effect.

Exercise: Free expression - Ant story 2

Exercise: Free expression Green Dream

Green Dream

This was a painting which I really enjoyed, I started by creating some dreamlike shapes with a green "river" running between them. I then worked into these shapes with white wax crayon and then used various tones of green to create a feeling of movement and fluidity. While working with my various greens I was careful to keep bright white areas as these areas seem to give definition to the shapes.

Exercise: Free expression - Ant story

I started with stylised grass leaves drawn quickly using wax crayon in yellow, green and blue. I then started to paint the grass spears in different tones of green. I then realised that perhaps this was all a little too obvious, ie I had simply magnified grass. So I decided to paint the remaining fronds in hot pink, as this is such an artificial looking colour. 

I think given this is the first attempt in painting from inside my head it is unsurprising that my painting had ended up "looking like" something. 

So I then decided to take further photos isolating some of the linear features of the painting. I think thus process has moved the image further to abstraction. 

To answer the questions in the exercise:-

A) The title did summon up an image immediately for me, it gave me a feeling of minute ness compared to the very large world around me. 

B) The suggested exaggerated shapes, and perhaps a feeling of looking up towards a sky that was not really visible behind the large objects intruding overhead.

C) For thus painting I had a very clear idea at the outset for what I would like to achieve, however the palette changed significantly as I tried to stick by the requirement of not making sure there is an identifiable object. I think this painting fails here. 

D) the completion of the green led to the decision to introduce pink, a deliberate attempt to move the painting away from the obvious grass association. 

Exercise: Free expression

Before working in this exercise I spent some time browsing the work of Wassily Kandinsky. A book which I had got from the library; Kandinsky Author Michael Robinson was a particularly helpful book as the layout is simply a reproduction of a painting on the right hand side and a summary of the painting on the left, a very readable format.

“If I wanted to characterize myself, I would say : constantly, chronically restless. Yes that is the possibly surprising but strict truth,,,,,not a moment’s rest you understand. Am always excited, my heart always feels different things simultaneously…..There’s plenty of joy in my heart. I love life so very much.”

Vasily Kandinsky 1903

It’s a strange thing. I do “like” Kandinsky’s art but I am not sure I actually understand it! As there are many and varied works to look at I decided to look firstly at what media he used, these vary significantly. He uses oil on canvas, oil on board, watercolour, pen and brush, gouache, indian ink, paper and cardboard. It seems that much of his work is exploratory, but when viewed with a title it gives a more cohesive impression.

I decided I would like to review a number of his watercolour works which also at times include other media and was really spoiled for choice in terms of variety of work., in fact some of the work looks as though it could have been completed by different artists it is so diverse.

Gelb Rosa (Yellow Rose), 1929 Watercolour, pen and black ink on paper

For me what's interesting about this image is the harsh contrast bewteen the black lines and even squares and the soft sprayed appearance of what appears to be heavily saturated colour sprayed onto the page. The image is also dominated by a curving soft line which appears to break up the harshness. What does this painting do for me? I like the sprayed effect of the watercolours, in fact he has painted his washed and blocks so evenly it does not in my opinion look like a watercolour painting, definitely a effect to try!

Launelinie (Mood Lines), 1927 Watercolour, gouache and indian ink on paper

I simply love the movement and curves of this piece and it was interesting to read about this piece that it is possibly related to the music of Stravinsky as his music was known to be an inspiration for Kandinsky, as with Yellow Rose it has sprayed paint over wonderful warm colours and curving shapes. As I look at this piece of work I feel that it would be an interesting exercise to translate this in textile....but that's for another time!

Blurred, 1932 Watercolour on paper

This painting is a real contrast from the two paintings above, the blurring of the paint and the more free style seems much more personal and unrestrained. I like the fact you can "tell" its watercolour it look as though some sort of soluble media has been used for the blurred lines, as it seems to have been drawn on like crayon. Its interesting that some of the lines have been left "drawn" and others have been blurred, and the tonal changed through the layering of translucent washes have remained clear and not become muddied, particularly the viridian over orange.

Composition 1930 Watercolour, pencil and ink on paper

This painting is suggestive of a sailing boat circumnavigating a buoy which is represented by the flag. What really jumps out to me about this painting is the beautiful layering of washes around the orange triangle, and the colours chosen are not colours I would combine particularly the inclusion of purple lake or permanent rose which is surprising but fairly harmonious. I am seeing here the really clever use of colour.

Exercise :- Magnification

Chosen image for magnification, I am quite surprised at his clear a photograph taken on my phone is :-

Initial sketchbook sketch:-

The paper in my sketchbook isn't as good quality but I quite like the seeping of the paint into the paper, and might consider the use of collage using a combination of sketchbook and watercolour in a painting. The wax markings have also worked to good effect for the lighter areas on the petals.

Cool colours filling in linear areas:-

I like the way this experiment gave me opportunity to review the shapes within the composition, I tried not to get too drawn into to detail of the inner parts of the orchid but I feel it's the detail which pulls the composition together! 

Monochrome, watercolour painting using lamp black with oil pastel on A3 watercour paper.

Mixed media interpretation using wax crayon, ink and watercolour 

Initial crayon sketch

Crayon with assorted warm toned ink washes:-

Close up images of areas of jnterest following initial wash over wax crayon :-

Final painting which has been further worked over using watercolours:-

I really am pleased with the abstract way this painting has turned out, and looking at it for a whe has allowed me to focus on an area of interest which I think I will explore in collage, I have also decided to review that same area in my other paintings:-

After considering the form in the above close up photos I decided to reproduce that particular area in an A3 collage. I used a combination of a greetings card with a rose image, to continue to floral theme, and watercour paper that i had previously painted and used salt on for texture. I separated the image for collage into three dominant areas, with a dividing area in the centre diagonal simply stained in a watercolour wash. 

After I had finished the collage I reviewed it alongside my other work. I feel this is a good first step to abstract painting. It reminds me of the work of Judy Chicago in particular her birth project series of embroideries. That was an artist study which I did not really enjoy, but had massive benefits for me in developing how I view abstract art. For the first time some of my art has evoked an emotional response in me.I am not going to explain fully in writing here what emotions this collage had evoked but I have decided to call this collage "Waiting 3" 

To summarise, I have enjoyed this exercise immensely, and have really enjoyed the discoveries of shape and form in the magnification process.

I reviewed the above collage a couple of days after I thought I had finished it and decided that the viridian areas were not really part of the painting. To tie it into the collaged areas I have Introduced shading  using permanent rose to teflect the vibrant pink tones in the collaged greetings card pieces. 

The painting may it may not be finished, this may or may not be the last edit of thus blog post! 

Exercise: Themed collage and painting

I started this exercise by printing photographs of paintings, drawings and sketches I had completed earlier in this part together with actual photographs often chosen orchid. I then cut out and tore out a number of the images:-

First collage :-

I decided to try to identify light and dark areas and seriously consider shape and form so I decided to paint in one tone only. I loved the results of the indigo watercolour in the previous exercise when I used it in the random collage. 

After completing a tonal painting I referred back to the exercise wording which recommends working over the painting again using another's media. That sent me into a a panic! Here is the painting before the addition of oil pastel :-

I am generally happy with the painting, having fairly successfully kept the lighter areas light and emphasised the darker areas. I was tempted to go all illustrative again with an ink pen but held back and went for oil pastel which j feel gas ck tributes well to the finished finished painting, I am not sure huge contrast was what was needed and I an comfortable with outcome of the oil and watercolour combination. It's interesting when I look at the painting directly next to the collage, I seem to have created depth in the painting that wasn't present in the original collage. 

Exercise: Collage made from random elements

I tore up and cut up the pieces if random fabric and paper, the pile even before I had progressed to making the collage was really interesting in texture and contrast 

I have chosen colours which I feel tie in toy chosen theme without actually using photographs of orchids. I may try that shortly! 

Drop 1!

Drop 2

Reviewing the composition:-

At the moment I am not sure there is any cohesion to the collage, there are areas if light and dark, but in all honesty it simply looks like paper dropped on an A2 sheet. 

If I look closely I can see some pattern, perhaps repeated forms at the bottom centre with the triangle of the elbow and the triangle if fabric behind it. Triangles do seem to be a fairly common shape reoccurring however I do like the layered nature of the triangle in the bottom of the collage. The tonal contrasts between the fuschia   and the brown "hair" are reminiscent of the colours featured in my first few orchid sketches. I think there is scope for linking areas, perhaps creating a lower and upper area. 

I have now worked into the collage using just wax crayon and watercolour so far:-

I am not sure if I am loosing my way or direction with this collage. It really doesn't seem to have any cohesion, I have made repeated use of triangles and explored the way the watercolour sits with the torn paper and fabric yet it seems just to be a collection of interesting textures and elements on one page! 

There us one section featuring wax crayon markings and torn paper which us reminiscent of Wassily Kandinsky's work:-

And another section where I have used indigo watercolour alongside two boldly coloured scraps which ended up alongside each other :-

And finally for the close up photos I like the say the watercolour has soaked into the edges of the paper and fabric creating really interesting staining:-

Project 3 Towards abstraction

Technology

Modern movements 

Exercise: using resists experimentally

First painting

Melted wax brushed onto white paper then washed with three washes

Oil pastel elements added

The above photographs show painting one in two stages. I enjoyed working in a more suggestive way with this painting, and working invisibly was certainly a challenge! The media I used were :- hot wax as a resist, watercolour washes oil pastels and finally ink. I loved the way the washes pooled in certain areas within the limits of the wax marks and as I look at the finished painting I feel that these are adding energy to the piece. Initially the flower shapes looked I felt quite childish, but once I was able to work into the images using oil pastel I felt this came together much better. I

Second painting 

Exercise:- using resists experimentally EXPERIMENTATION

Experimentation:-

Oil pastel :-

Melted wax and paintbrush :-

Melted wax in tjanting:-

Wax crayon:-