Resource #2_2D Composition/Visual Diary

 Friday 7th Sept: I spent the afternoon working on 

2D Composition exercises and updating my visual diary....

My first attempts of my bedside lamp...

Some composition sketches of Kaeli...she was a great model!

 

More pages of my visual diary...

 Some of the info I printed out when researching ...

 Images I found while looking forward ideas and inspiration...

and (below) some information on Image Transfer...

I look forward to trying out these techniques :o)

Playing with pastels

I'm not sure how or even if this fits into my art course programme but going to share it becuae I had fun experimenting and think that's part of my problem. I'm afraid of myself. I'm scared to make a make a mistake. To ruin something. I'm not sure why i think/feel like that but it was something I realised yesterday...

 So I got out the pastels and set to work enjoying the process of applying to the paper and using my fingers to smooth and blend it...

 and experiemted with different colours...

 ...until i felt more confident in experimenting and letting go...

These are all A4 in size...a "safe" size

Then I got out the paints and I'm currently working on an A3 sized painting.

I'll share it once it's finished :0)

Time=3 hours (Friday 31st August 2012)

Playing with pastels

I've had a bit of a downer and took a break from doing art but that hasn't stopped me THINKING about it. I'm still thinking about my project X and have gone full-circle and come back to the idea of working on my first canvas, using gesso and mixed media. So I need to formulate a brief. But first here's that pastel drawing i did of the leaf. Been thinking about how to achieve what's "in my head"...but proabaly just need to through caution to the wind and experiment...

Resource #2 more finger painting

Thursday 23rd Aug: After a good and encouraging chat on the phone to Rachel, my mentor and booking a spot for a few of the Term 4 Weekend Classes I pulled out a few more sheets of paper and worked on some more backgrounds...Sarah joined me in painting with her fingers too. We had so much fun together and it was neat to see her inspired by what I was doing!

Time: 1 hour (23 Aug 2012)

Friday 24th: I checked my email and see I have been booked for a couple of the weekend classes I'm interested in attending next term. One is the Stencils, Masks and Relief Sculpture in Print which is on Sat 13th and Sunday 14th October...and the other is Encaustic Painting with beeswax and pigment...but I'm not sure if I'll be able to do both. I'm very excited about having a wee bit of a break away and know that it'll do me good.

While I was out walking Kaeli (our puppy) this morning, I saw some large leaves I thought would be cool to try and draw/paint. So I went back home and got my camera...

 

 

 

The photos below have been edited with an ACDsee Photo programme

 I am going to have a go at drawing and painting these!

Time: 1 hour

Resource #2: Finger Painting!

I am IN LOVE with finger painting.....seriously! 

I love the ease of which it can be moved across the paper 

or surface of whatever your fingers are applying the paint to, 

plus I found it to be very relaxing and therapeutic!

My first "painting" was inspired by this photo, 

taken at Ruakaka Beach on Sunday. 

I love the "moodiness" of the blues/greys 

and it aptly describes how I've felt today. 

Colour really "speaks" to me..so I pulled out 

a few more sheets of paper and starting applying paint...

first blue

then green

which made me feel kind of peaceful and relaxed...

and the a pinky/purple page.

I plan to use these for something...just not sure WHAT yet!

Time: 2 hours (22 August, 2012)

Resource #2 Drawing into Paint

Drawing into paint #1 - Exercise 4: Using a theme of your choice, 

create a painting with little or no use of a brush.

Inspired by this photo I took one foggy winters morning last month, 

I've used grey paint which was applied with a sponge

 and the black around the border, with the bristles of an old paint brush.

For the tree I used a piece of wood (off-cut), a twig and a little bit of lichen. 

I really enjoyed doing this....

Drawing into paint #1 - Exercise 7: Cut 10 pieces of paper into A5 size. 

Make monoprints of paint applied to a sheet of plastic 

and use different tools to make patterns.

 

Drawing into paint #1 - Exercise 8: Choose whatever exercise worked best for you and create a large-scale piece.

My next painting was inspired by the above photo I took

I'm so happy how this has turned out! 

I've used a piece of wood (for the power pole) 

a peg for the cross bars,

the end of a pencil for the 'knobs'

the side of an iceblock stick for the lamp arm,

and the side of a ruler for the 'wires'

The light has been sponged and the lettering, stamped.

Time: 2 hours (17 Aug) 5 & 1/2 hours (18 Aug)

Resource #2 Colour Basics

It's been a busy and stressful week or so but I have managed to get some art done over the weekend and then again this afternoon. I have been trying to photograph my work but doing that sort of thing in the evening is NOT the best time because of the flash. I need to be patient and wait until tomorrow now.

On Saturday I worked on some tonal exercises. I started off experimenting with charcoal but found it too messy for my liking, so switch to using pencil (2B and 4B) I didn't enjoy the shapes with straight lines as much as the curved shapes for some reason. I've yet to complete two of the tonal exercises. 

 (photo to come)

Today I worked on the Drawing for all Your Worth line/tone doodling exercise.

Drawing for all your Worth #1

Exercise 8 - line/tone, doodling

I've played around with the pastels...allowing the colours to 

dictate movement and form..and really enjoyed doing this.

 (Time: 45 minutes)

Then I worked on the Colour Basics #1 Exercises 

I had two attempts with the colour wheel....

Exercise 1: Colour Wheel

I really struggled with blending the paints with a paint brush 

so I resorted to using my fingers...much easier and a lot more fun!!

Exercise 2: Primary and Secodary colours blended with white

 Here I have used my fingers to blend red and yellow
to make orange, with white..

..and blue and yellow to make green, with
 white

and blue and red with white.

Then I experimented with mixing the primary colours together (to make secondary colours) and blended those with black...

Greens/yellow with black...

and finally black and white...to make shades of grey.

Exercise 3: Cut/tear a small hole in a piece of paper and place it over a colour in a picture from a magazine. I've used a photo from our local newspaper.

..a close up picture!

(Time: 3 hours, 15th Aug 2012)

Resource #2: Last Collage

..is done and dusted. I'm really happy with it.
 

Plus, as it was sunny this morning...so I made paper! 

My first attempts at using this batch of banana palm fibre 

was too coarse, so I peeled it all off the felts 

and turfed it back into the old preserving pan I use. 

Leaving it to "soak" for a few weeks 

(too busy doing other things) and then re-pulping it worked a treat

.... so a very satisfying day all in all. 

Time total (6 Aug 2012) - 4 hours 

 (and 2 hours making paper)