Self Distortion studies

For today's critique, I shared my process of where I am with my body of work and where I think I am heading at this point in time. I now know that I will pursue the concept of distortion and see where this takes me. I was asked (by a tutor), to come up with ten different ways to distort my face and body. So far I have come up with: Acrylic mirrors, using the photocopier and the scanner and using distortion apps for ipods, ect.

After critique, I experiemented using the photocopier method, which means you photocopy an image running the photo the length of the photocopier. This came up with some interesting results which I found were rather effective and possibly a path I would consider in my approach towards distortion. Here are some of the studies I have been left with:

Ink pen on paper, distorted with photocopier, 2013

Ink pen on paper, distorted by photocopier,2013

Ink pen on paper, distortion by photocopier,2013

Photograph distorted by photocopier, 2013

Photograph distorted by photocopier, 2013

Photograph distorted by photocopier, 2013

Photograph distorted by photocopier, 2013

 

So these were the results I was left with today, I was left with more but I found these to be the most effective. I can definitely see myself using this technique in my body of work. I was thinking of perhaps using this technique and then overlaying another distorted self portrait on top and running this through the photocopier yet again.

 

This week I will continue with different ways of using distortion and also keep experimenting with this technique and see where this takes me.

Life Drawing Studies for printmaking

Recently I have been doing some life drawing studies to improve my drawing skills (both tonal as well as line work, proportion, ect), particularly with the anatomy of the body to understand how I can distort the body. I feel I need to understand where particular muscle groups are, how certain features look, before I can then begin to distort the body itself, otherwise it will not work out quite as well.

Life drawing study, 20 mins, 2013

Life drawing study, 20 mins, 2013

Life drawing study, 20 mins, 2013

Life drawing study, 20 mins, 2013

My style of drawing is very tonal, which allows the body to look more robust and life like. I enjoy this style of drawing, as I mentioned before that I find it hard to draw lightly or uses light washes of color. I prefer strong contrasts and heavy line work over softer lines, act. I feel it adds to the atmosphere of an artwork, usually my works are moody and at times dark. I naturally gravitate towards darker works, perhaps because I feel it evokes an emotion from myself that I value deeply, I don't know. This is what I am experimenting with in my current body of work. 

These are only studies towards my final body of work. They are not grotesque in any way, they allow me to understand how body parts relate to one another. After doing these studies, I will now begin some print making using facial features and begin to distort them. 

Watercolour and Print

Watercolour and Print.

Today has been a day of experimenting and trialling with materials and subject matter. Basically, I have been testing my watercolour paints ("Simply by Daler Rowney) as a background for my dry point prints. I want to create a vivid amount of colour and perhaps experiment with light washes of colour also. 

I have been using only images of my cat as subject matter to understand better how to use them appropriately and it is harder than it looks. I made the mistake of using black with the colours and it resulted in a muddy colour, which ruins the point of watercolour (I am aiming for bright, vivid colour.) It is very interesting how the colours mix and the patterns which can arise from a mistake. I like to call them "Happy mistakes", so as to make it look like it is purposeful. 

Initially, I was looking at incorporating watercolour with printmaking, either harmoniously or juxtaposing the two, which is why I was going to experiment further with how to do this. I have mentioned in previous posts an artist model named Shannon Williamson who creates beautiful yet distorted watercolour drawings and I have been attempting to only use light washes of colour, however I find this incredibly hard as I am so used to working with darker more moody colours, like myself I suppose. 

Shannon Williamson

What I like about Williamson's body of work, is her use of line work which she overlaps using watercolour and the way by continuously overlapping bodies and faces, she begins to distort the human body and face creating unsettling subject matter.  

Grotesque Realism and The Codex Seraphinianus

Grotesque Realism and The Codex Seraphinianus

So before, I was contemplating the Grotesque and how it relates to the body of work I will be creating. I like the concept of distorting the face and body, however I do not want it to fall into the category of self confidence and body image (horrible ideas of advertising and peer pressure etc. come to mind...) but more about relating the grotesque with self discovery and journey, particularly self metamorphosis and change.

Indeed I have been looking at ways in which I can take my ideas from second year into third and evolve them from there, the only thing is how. I have been doing a few studies of hands, faces, distortion, however I still do not find them physically unsettling or grotesque:

Dry point print,2013

Self portrait sketch,2013

Hand study,2013

Dry point study,2013

Dry point study, 2013

Skull study, Drypoint, 2013

Self portrait distortion, sketch, 2013 (Looks like Chewbacca.)

Dry point studies, 2013

 

 

So basically I have been experimenting with different ways of portraying grotesque and self portraiture, however I do want to introduce different subject matter to emphasis some of the ideas I have. I have mainly been looking at dry point printmaking and sketches, I have also in previous weeks been experimenting with using watercolour paints to introduce some colour into my prints (some of the dry point studies I have done have a light watercolour in the background) however I do not know how effective this is or if it detracts from the subject matter itself. I did have the same issue in second year with my Paradox series and ended up using tea stains as a way of adding subtle colour to the print.

 

Recently, I have been looking to more artist models to look at different ways of portraying grotesque realism, but more recently I have discovered the world's strangest book, which happens to be the "Codex Seraphinianus." Originally published in 1981 (author is Luigi Serafini), this book is known for its outlandish, bizarre yet beautiful illustrations of creatures which do not exist and a particular language created by the author himself. I find this hugely fascinating and relates completely to what I am doing due to the grotesque subject matter (one of the pages shows skeletons being fit into bodies.) I definitely think I will be using this book for future reference, here is a link on more of the Codex Seraphinianus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Seraphinianus.

 

Of course, Jason Greig will be having an exhibition at 241 Chambers on Moorhouse Ave this Tuesday which definitely be worth looking at, as I mention his work quite a bit. Maybe I might some ideas out of it!

Process of third year assignment.

Process of third year assignment.. Continued.

Engaging in our weekly studio critique session, I felt I had significant progress in my development towards ideas and subject matter for my assignment. Tutors mentioning artist models such as Jake and Dinos Chapman sparked ideas for me (for example, nightmares signifying grotesque realism) and looking at how Printmaking will influence my ideas and subject matter. Indeed my ideas are rather fluid (particularly metamorphosis) and print is rather restrict6ing and confining. To overcome this, I thought of introducing watercolour painting within my prints.

Jake and Dinos Chapman

 

Regarding my process, I am currently researching other modern grotesque artists and developing sketches of human skeletons and process to life drawing sketches. I do want to start beginning my prints this week, but will continue my sketches and watercolour drawings so I can develop my ideas from both. I feel I will develop most my ideas from this process.

Thoughts and Ideas for assessment

Thoughts and ideas for assessment

Okay so I have been looking through images of local printmaking artist Jason Greig. Mainly focusing in the Monoprint area, Greig looks a lot at horror films and the likes of Goya. He will definitely be an artist model for me to look at and draw ideas from. Also, I am interviewing Greig for an essay in Art history so once I receive his answers to my questions I hope it will give me some more ideas. Here a look at some of what his work is like....

Jason Greig

Jason Greig

 

 

I have been thinking more about what I want to portray (Grotesque realism and Metamorphosis) and feel the subject matter could relate closely to Nightmares and possibly to a lesser degree, Fantasy. At first i was unsure of the idea of fantasy due to the negative connotations it can sometimes have (fantasy world, games), however if I am creating images from nightmares and the like then it will come under fantasy and perhaps adding figurative elements within the prints might work?

 

One thing I am sure of is the material and medium I will be using to express these ideas. I will be experimenting with Monoprints (printmaking which are usually one offs), mainly using heavy dry point, watercolour and life drawing elements. Because my dry point usually consists of black and will be a heavy use of line, to introduce colour I thought using watercolour paints (perhaps to create a wash or a more vivid colour) would allow my works to become lighter in the sense of atmosphere. Indeed I did have this same problem with print last year, sometimes my works became too dark in their subject matter and colour and so to lighten my works I added splashes of tea in areas which balanced the works nicely. 

 

Regarding my subject matter, not only have I been looking at Jason Greig for ideas, but my previous artist model, Francisco Goya who created a lot of Etchings with elements of nightmares and grotesque imagery. I will be looking at him further this year to develop some of my ideas for this first assessment and possibly later on this year too. Because I bought a huge 10m roll of watercolour paper, I do plan on making large works, whether this be in the first half or second of third year.

 

 

Francisco Goya etching

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Assessment (Third year)

Third year fine arts assessment one:

Okay so I have finally entered my third year as a fine arts student, yay! I have been given an assessment to complete by mid December and then our work will be exhibited at a local gallery space so I better get a crack on!

For second year print I had an interesting brief in which we to create a series of prints relating to our own personal growth and Metamorphosis. I must admit I did do quite well in that assessment, however I don't feel quite ready to let that idea go and want to expand it into third year. I just don't know how to expand it further. I know I will be doing printmaking and life drawing for third year but incorporating different techniques within print will be a challenge.

Last year my main subject matter was hands and how they have manipulated by people around me to be the person I am today and how that effects myself. Of course I will be continuing this theory and add a little bit of Grotesque realism and distortion.

 

I have recently been looking at artist Shannon Williamson who creates these weird but beautiful watercolours of the exterior and interior of the human body... Its truly fascinating! Another artist who looks at the theory of grotesque realism is Dutch artist Rosa Verloop, making unsettling sculptures out of nylon and pins... Food for thought indeed.  

 

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-Shannon Williamson

-Rosa Verloop