Just a quickie tonight. I’m absolutely exhausted! I spent a fair bit of time re-doing my first collage. I was unhappy with the main object and still am, but I have to leave it as I’ve so much work to do. I’m sure my tutor will accept it the way it is. It reminds me of a Bedouin tent! There are lots of rich colours in there, which I’m afraid this photograph does no justice. The main piece is extremely flat though. I found it very difficult to work with shades of yellow. At least I’m becoming more confident with colour!
Again I’m unhappy with the little object. Too flat again, and I’m not sure that the colour of it works. I like the rest of the colours though. Quite bold I think!
I painted in my little corner for the first time today, and it was fab! There were no distractions from the telly or people blethering, and no cats continually trying to sit on my hands when I’m painting. My eldest cat is a mummy’s boy and nothing gets in the way of him sitting on me! Anyway, having my own space means I’m much more productive. I managed to get two of my collages done for Creative Composition, when I really only thought I’d get one done. I’m chuffed to bits, especially since I thought these collages would be quite difficult.
The first brief was to create a collage using transparent layers i.e. tissue paper, rice paper, see-through fabric, etc. whilst excavating the main image from the background. I used many layers of tissue paper, and also used bubble wrap, polythene and hessian. I’m not sure I’ve done it as it is should be but I think it’s one of my best pieces to date! Don’t you just love the colours? You can click on the image to enlarge it, to see it better.
The second piece is basically just a mixed media collage that I pretty much had free reign over. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a good picture of it because it’s too dark, so I’ll upload it tomorrow…
…and finally. Remember I said I put in my application for Art School on Friday? I received an email yesterday to say they had received my application and would be in touch soon. Well, today I received another email from them asking me to attend a portfolio surgery, where I will be shown around the school and they will also view my portfolio. After that, an interview will follow. The date is Wednesday 17th February! I can’t believe it’s so soon, nor that I received a reply so quickly! I’m going to be soooo nervous!
Category: Abstract, Mixed Media, Painting, Visual Arts
Tags: art school, bubble wrap, creative composition, hessian, polythene, portfolio, tissue paper, transparent collage 8 Comments
I wanted to quickly show you the painting I created for The Virtual Paintout. You might remember that the challenge is to paint a view from Google Street View, based on a given place each month; this month is based on Corsica. You are allowed a maximum of three paintings per month, and this is my second.
Below is the original image of Route de la Lagune.
This is also my very first landscape proper. I’ve done it fairly abstract and used my new notebook (5.8 x 8.3 inches). I covered the page in newspaper print and then pasted on some wax paper and painted in my colours. It has given me some nice texture where I wanted it. Although looking back, it would have been good to add some texture to the trees. Oh well, it’s a learning experience.
I wanted to show you my little space that I have finally managed to sort out. It’s not much but at least it’s mine. Up until now, I’ve been relegated to the living room coffee table and the couch, but it means whenever a cup of tea and a cake is made, my stuff has to be moved. Not the most useful when you’re in the middle of painting! So I decided that enough was enough! I went upstairs to my bedroom and cleared my area, which was just covered in artwork and all sorts of stuff, but with no actual room for me to paint.
You can see that underneath I have a box which contains canvasses, and a heap of art books over on the right. That will be moved into the cupboard on the right of the desk, once I clear the cupboard of all my uni stuff and things that I have no need for right now. Oh yes, and that’s my little meditation shrine to the left.
And you can see more stuff like paper and my graphics tablet in its box right at the back underneath the desk. On top just now are things like anatomy book, lots of boxes of pencils, canvas boards, my little dummy and a woodburning iron.
I want a little trolley thing for underneath that I can put my art supplies in, so that they’re within easy reach, and more importantly, organised. I hate working in chaos! As I said it’s not much, and the room is tiny, but at least it’s mine (well, this side is mine!) and I can concentrate on my work without distractions like the telly, although hmm…there is a telly in the room. Actually, I will only ever be listening to music in there. Put on my laptop, put on some tunes, and paint. Good times.
Ok, so I’ve been a bit grumpy for the past few days. I’ve been really irritable in class and at home. No-one has really been spared. I guess it’s understandable given the stress I’ve been under. Although, in class, I’m not the only one under stress, but I guess people react differently. Anyway, I handed in my analytical drawings. I was so frustrated with them, but I worked on the one piece today that was really bothering me, and I’m happy with it now.
Wouldn’t you agree that it’s much better than it looked yesterday? My tutor, Janice, really saved this piece for me. She added a bit of colour to the right side, improving it greatly, and I worked the rest of the it. I wouldn’t have thought to do this, but it worked out great!
I now only have to hand in my sculpture tomorrow. I will then have to finish my 3 compositional pieces, but we were told we can finish those on our week off, so things are looking much better now! Funny how one day things appear miserable, and the next day you wonder what all the fuss was about.
