New paintings and regular art updates.
Quick sketches using a graphite stick and a putty rubber to lift the graphite back for a mark making workshop. The small sketch was 2.5 minutes drawn with the graphite stick held between my little finger and ring finger. The woman with the octopus was ten minutes and the floating man was fifteen minutes. The man’s head was just made up as I listened to the lecture…
based on my first ‘set’ drawing, this has changed into more of a landscape. Playing with sci-fi characters. I think I’m going slightly mad. I’m reading the brief and I’m supposed to draw again based on this…. I’m not sure what I will do next.
I really enjoy the chance to draw people so tonight’s lockdown drawings were fun. I’m trying out using permanent markers to give the faces a bit more definition. Maybe I can use watercolour next week? I did a pose too, I might try and draw myself as it’s been recorded. Not today though. A lot to catch up on…
Today we were looking at the meanings of illustrations and signs, whether they are iconic (cat mug) a symbol (swimming badge?) or another option that I can’t remember! I get a bit tied up with these ideas, I will get it, I know, but just trying to explain it makes my head hurt.
Anyway it’s surprising how much illustration there is around us. My favourite is the Ludford Ginger bottle. What had the train got to do with it?
We have come to the end of the semester at college but have been asked to create a new way of illustration over the holidays. So what do I do? I’m thinking of boiling some spaghetti and trying to colour it then manipulate it? Or getting some play sand and drawing with that. It’s not something an illustration would normally be made of, but why not?
Just watched a lecture by one of our fellow students. It was fascinating to watch. About watercolour and ink and how to use it. She showed us how to use salt and also cling film to add texture, masking fluid to preserve white areas and glue mixed with paint and ink to created textured backgrounds. I will certainly have a go at using some of them.
She also showed us her sketchbooks, she mainly does abstract work, but also does realistic work, (she showed us a lovely painting of a friends dog). It’s great that students are adding to the teaching experience at college….
A collection of watches, new and old. Broken straps, flat batteries. I’m thinking of using some of them in my college course. We have to create an artefact that will show our artistic practice. I can’t show you my ideas as it’s for the course only but I will discuss what I’m thinking about.
My idea is to re use old watches and clocks and repurpose them. A lot of the time (no pun intended), watches don’t have their batteries replaced or their wrist straps break, or they just go out of fashion. There must be old watches in drawers or cupboards all over the country.
My idea is to incorporate them into something else, so that they are useful again. It would mean trying to find watches that could be fixed or reconditioned and then fix them into the body of an object that can then be used a a decorative time piece.
I can’t share my college art work, but I’m busy trying to put a project together to create an artefact that can be used either as a promotion of my work and/or a product to sell.
So what do I have to do? Convert a two dimensional image to a three dimensional object. Something that can be used by people, that is not expensive, non polluting, useful, environmentally friendly.
I have to investigate its context. Whether there is a historical precursor to my idea and research it’s audience, it’s possible outcomes. I’ve got to do a lot of writing now. I hope I can make sense of it all. Fingers crossed.
The dictionary says:
‘ an artefact is an object made by a human being, typically one of cultural or historical interest.’
As ppart of our course we have to design an artefact that supports our professional practice as illustrators. Commissioners might be interested in something different. Something that is eye catching. We discussed what an artefact is and came to the conclusion that it could be anything. It might be the simplest thing but if it’s buried and then dug up by an archaeologist it could become significant.
The ideas for artefacts ranged from scarves, tee shirts, books, toys, cards, games, even old game boy consoles. Very interesting.
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I have had a thing from Microsoft saying I can sync my information ( My gallery on my PC, Tablet and phone are all different) or I could move stuff to the cloud? But I really don’t feel safe doing it. What if there was a solar flare that wiped everything? (It could happen) we think our digital information is safe, but who knows? The earths magnetic poles might flip, or I might drop the phone in the sea? so many worries. Last night I was wondering what would happen when I die? Will I be a digital ghost? A friend died last year and yet I had a reminder of her birthday last month. The grim reaper can be cheated digitally!
I’m in the middle of preparing for another 12 week semester on my college course. Life will be getting complicated again. I need to set up a website just for illustrations and artworks, probably a separate page here. Or perhaps on Redbubble or Square Space? any recommendations….
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Mallaband-Brown