3D Clay Basics/3D Composition

Today I took the clay and had a "play"

First, I just studied it...the colour, the smoothness
and the solidness of the clay.
Then I plied it and moulded it
feeling it's coolness beneath my hands.

At first I wasn't sure what to do..or what to make.
So I put myself into my "childlike state"
and did what most children would do with clay...

I rolled it into a sausage and coiled it like a snake

This reminded me of an elephant's trunk!

Next, I rolled small pieces into balls and stacked them on top 

of one another. I was a little surprised to find they stood upright!

I like the slight variation in its vertical alignment and the way

 the light and shadows play on the curved surfaces.

So then I shaped some leaves. I used a vegetable knife

 to shape and score the clay.

a slightly twisted leaf

 Two twisted leaves

 

Which lead me to google TWISTED LEAVES 

and found these (many) IMAGES

I'm going to print out a few of my favourites

to add to my visual diary

 ...lots of inspiration!

 

Time: 3 hours (15 Nov)

 includes photo editing/uploading

Progress Report

A chilly start to the day but looks like it'll be ok once it gets going. I had another late start to the day. I blame it on the clocks changing! It always takes me a few weeks to adjust.....I have a sewing lesson this afternoon with my adult student Alys and Miss 19  is working tonight so I'll be taxi for her. It's the school holidays here so I'm going to work on some more art projects this morning. My mentor is phoning me tomorrow to discuss my progress...I always feel anxious about this but she's always being really encouraging and gives positive feedback..so I shouldn't worry (should I Rachel?)

I've been researching (online) Relief Sculpture in Print Making for when I go down to TLC next week for the Weekend Block Print Making course. I have printed out some info and made a list of possible items to purchase and collect from around the house to take with me. will update with some more photos of my visual diary and this morning work later today....

Edited to update> I spent most of the day doing art...

"Self Portrait"  using watercolour pencils and black marker pen.
I like how this is turned out but disappointed with my tree painting I worked on in the afternoon...so will try doing it again tomorrow.

My Visual Dairy
Print-Making info

Time: 4 hours (4 October 2012)

More Colour Basics

Using complimentary colours: Purple and Yellow

Time: 4 hours (1st Oct 2012)

Colour Basics - Scrapbooking

TOTAL HOURS so far = 153 hours!

Complimentary Colours: Blue/Orange (with a tad bit of green)

Analogous with a complimentary colour: Green/yellow/teal with red

Time: 7 hours (28/29 Sept 2012)

Colour Basics #2

Moving along now...Colour Basics #2

I spent the morning/early afternoon looking up information about colour on the internet. I printed out several articles about colour basics and pasted them in my Visual Diary. Then I googled monochromatic, analogous and complimentary art images and printed out a few to add to my visual diary for inspirational purposes.

I had fun doing this and look forward to trying out some Colour Basic exercises.

 Time: 4 and a 1/2 hours (Saturday, 22 Sept 2012)

Angry at myself...

After a laspe of a number of days doing no art, I thought I better get some supplies out and spend some time this afternoon working on...something...anything

 I started with free-hand drawing of my name in block letters, 

first a mirrored version.. then the "right" way...

and then I did a composition drawing based on the railway line photo.

After that I tried some sketches and then a painting of an arum lily. 

I had high ideals of what it would look like but in the end it ended in the bin. 

I stared at a blank piece of paper for a while 

willing the energy to try again, 

and end up painting this...

I feel so ANGRY at myself not being able to get out what's in "there"

Argh!!

Time: 3 hours (Friday 21 September 2012)

Resource 3 Exercises

Resource 3: Drawing for all your worth  #2 

Exercise 3 - work with a photo

I've used a graphite pencil for this

Exercise 5 - draw from a photo or photocopy, upside down

I am really happy with this (Kaeli's nose)

(I used pastels for this one)

Exercise 6 - Take a photocopy and rip it into pieces

I'm not 100% happy with how this turned 

but it was an interesting exercise

(graphite pencil with orange pastel)

..and I worked some more on my leaf painting, adding some pastel

..it's still not finished but not sure what else I want to do on this 

so have put it aside again :0)

 I googled sculpture to get some inspiration and ideas...

 I love love LOVE this!

Time: 5 hours (Friday 14 September 2012)

Out and about with my camera..

This morning I went out walking with my camera...

 

I love how the sun is shining through the trees...and the contrast of the dark foreground againt the lighter background. Love the composition too...

My "favourite" tree is in leaf! How have I missed this 

every morning I've walked past it??

Love the depth of field in this one...

 Loving these lily pics. I am going to try drawing these..

I took a number of photosfrom different angles 

so as to have plenty of choice

A couple of B/W photos with some editing (below)

Time: 2 hours (Wednesday 12 September 2012)