There is a blog I found through another site, which is called The Virtual Paintout. Basically, each month the artist selects a view from Street View in Google Maps and paint from the photograph of the view. The brief is that you paint a specific place. So for this month, the artist must paint from a street in Corsica. I thought this would be quite fun and decided to give it a try. Now, I’ve never painted a street or landscape so it was going to be a challenge for me. I quickly knocked up the front view of a house. I know, it’s not a very good painting, but it’s a first attempt and was done in very little time. It’s done in my little journal, meaning the space is tiny. I was also very tired when I painted it, but I was desperate to give it a try, so here it is:
I also wanted to show you Head-E Lamarr. Who, you ask? Head-E is my sculpted head. I thought it was quite a funny title to give her and it works for me because Head-E alludes to something computerish, whilst also referencing a very famous actress of the golden era of films. The brief for this was to design a piece based on the word ‘Dismantle’. I was going to go all steampunk on her, thinking cogs and machinery, but then I had a brainwave! I had bits of RAM lying around and I had already moulded wires into the plaster and made them stick out of her eye. So I thought, what about a cyborg? A broken cyborg. A bio-mechanical being. So, I carved a piece into her head so that I can stick the RAM in, which represents her brain. I also carved part of an exposed brain, showing the duality of man meets machine. I then added an LED light to her eye, then carved out parts of her jaw to expose bone and muscle tissue. She is a work in progress and I will be adding more to her.
There is a stick on the RAM that says ‘Void if removed’. I love that! It says so much, so I decided to leave it on.
You got your foot wet with landscape. MOre. More. I don't know what to think about Head-E. I'm going to have to get used to her, Heather. LOL
Teehee, thanks Leslie. Head-E is a bit of a strange one, but it's the brief I had to work with. We had to pour a plaster head then carve into it. It's not how I think of sculpture. I thought we'd actually get to make a sculpture like the ones I made myself at home, but you just have to work with what you're told to. I will definitely paint more landscape stuff, but I need to find an appropriate style for it – something that's me!
Your scope is very impressive Heather! You've got a tremendous command of color and composition. I admire you for doing SO many different types of art as you explore your talent. That's exciting to see. I look forward to seeing how your journey progresses.
Thank you Pam! That's what I really enjoy about studying art full-time: it's so diverse, and I pretty much get free rein to explore as many avenues as possible. I know I've only scratched the surface, and I've a long way to go, but it is an amazing thing to be a part of. I too look forward to seeing how you progress on your journey in the world of art.
Hi Heather, It's cool you share your assignments! I like the idea of the cyborg Head-E Lamarr; creative use of materials. Fun landscape, or cityscape!
Thanks Peggy. Watch for my next assignment – it’s all collage. Should be fun, and a huge challenge as I’ve never done collage before. Eeks.
I loved thw way you saw Corsica.
Great painting, congratulations!
My best regards
Murilo S Romeiro
Thank you Murilo! I take it you mean the painting I added today? I wasn't sure if it was any good, but I quite liked the moodiness of it. So different from the picture I painted from! Lol.