Artist Link Raphael Vicenzi

Vicenzi although is more of a graphics illustrator than and pencil illustrator i still feel i could gain great skills by looking at his work. His work is bright and has a warm feeling to it. Indian culture is all about family and tradition and to me a warm feeling is what i need to create in my final outcome to show this. He incorporates writing which to me sometimes cheapens a design and does not add that sence of creativity. Although these pieces are intreging and inspirational. The work has alot of detailing and 'decoration' which i how i want my piece to feel with pattern and textures. His work also incorporates alot of floral pattern which is the main focus of my work as to me indian culture is all about pattern and vibrancy looking at this artist may help me to decide on the style of work i want to porduce as a final outcome.

Images found at: http://www.behance.net/mydeadpony

Portraiture and Illustration

I have started to be influecned allot more by the human portrait. I have collected secondary research of Traditional Indian men and women. the man is at the celebration of the Holi Festival i have used watercolours and pencil to try and get the detail of the powders on the face. I don't think i have worked on the face as much as i would like but as it is the development stage of my work don't feel that a finished looking piece is needed. i have used circles of batik to add pattern but to also resemble confetti to bring in the celebration element to my work. I feel if i used this image in my final outcome i would have to work allot more on the idea and develop it further to get to a stage on completion.

Pattern Exploration

Throughout my project pattern as been a key element. To me, Indian culture seems to have a lot of pattern whether it be in the clothing, Henna tattooing or even in their jewellery. i have explore different patterns and fund myself repeating the pattern and developing it through. I have experimented with media and pattern together using fusing material, plastics and 3d paints. I have put these together under the heat press layered with bondaweb to fuse the materials together. i think this gives a really nice quality and depth to the pattern although i feel that it could be more resolved. I could do this by using other materials such as textured fabrics and maybe just being a little more precise with my application of paints and materials. I have also used a mixture of paints and decorative pieces to help me to decide which style works best - paper based or textile based. I feel that both experiments have similar quality's for example i think that the rolled paint in the background of the paper based one seem to work allot better that the materials based experiment as the colours work allot better together and are a little more earthy than i have previously been using which doesn't make my work seem as naive as some of the ink techniques i have been using. I think that i should carry these pattern and ideas on throughout my work and then incorporate these ideas into my final outcome which will help me show the flambouancy of Indian culture allot more through my work. By combining pattern, textures and quality pencil drawings with spats of colours to bring in the element of the Holi Festival and the Vibrancy back through i think my final piece will project what i am aiming to achieve.

Struggles

Im struggling at the minute to decide on the media techniques i want t use in my final piece. Im torn between, detailed pencil drawings with ink and textures or a fabric piece with batik and images. I feel that the detailed drawings will be a better option but I dont want looking at textile artist to be in vain! Although i could explore using small bits of textiles into my detailed drawings to give my work texture and more substance. I want pattern to be a main focus in my final piece. Maybe floral pattern as Indian culture and art seems to be influenced by this. I could use textiles incorprated into the patterns i will use...

Artist Link - Caroline Saxby

Caroline Saxby is a Mixed media textile artists working with mnay different types of media and techniques to help her explore her strenghs and weaknesses. I feel that by looking at the work of Saxby i can help myself to preogress further as she has many different post which inspire me to explore widely with a range of media. Aswell as textile she is influence strongly by images and photography and mostly this is shown in her work. Aswell as photography her work seems to show alot of text and colour. The colours she uses in her work rlate to the imagery of sealife, boats and other vintage distressed photographs she has taken. Unlike the work of Erin Petson her work seems alot more experimental and more like sketchbook pages than a final outcome. I would like to experiment the techniques she uses if only to iliminate the idea of textile as my final outcome as i am more strongly looking toward illustration on paper as i feel this links better with the style of my work. Although i will incorporate some textiles into my work to give and texture as i want a mixed media final outcome for this unit of work. Also in comparision to the work of Chris ofilil both Saxby and Petson seem to have a more mature aproach to the artwork they produce in some way as the final outcomes of there work seem to be of a higher quality. As im looking at the Aesthetics of my work i feel these two artists would be more of use to me and will help me gain the knowlege i need to create a good final piece.

Artwork found at: http://carolynsaxby.blogspot.com/

Artist Research and Influence - Erin Petson

 

The illustrator Erin Petson is very influencial to my work. Although her work is not based around culture and traditins or even pattern as such, i feel that the style is alot simular to hat of mine and feel by looking at how she works i can determine the type of imagery i want to include also developing my style and ways of working. Her work sometimes may lack colour or even a strong composition but the aesthetic of her work are really good and work together throughout her work. The main imagery she uses is the female face. I want to get across pattern in the Indian culture to do this i feel i have to mainly focus on women and the types of things they wear i.e jewelery, clothing, makeup. As culture for Indian women is all about the vibrancy and decorativity of it all i feel i should make this apparent through my work.

Images found at: http://www.erinpetson.com/

Pattern In Culture

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As well as people throwing colour powders in the Indian Holi Festival, Elephants are also painted at this time, with bright colours of pattern and imagery. This to me shows the eccentricity's of Indian cultures and now i have researched more information about the Holi festival i feel more determined to make my final outcome as bright and colourful as possible. Embellished with pattern and textures also as this also seems to be a running accurance of Indian Traditions. i have tried to produce patterns i have found on elephants and to me seems to be simple with not much detail. I want to make my patterns more floral and detailed as this suits my style of illustration more i feel i have to find an artist which incorporates floral and portraiture to help me with my design later on.

Images found at: wikipedia_decoratedndianelephants

The Human Figure

The human figure is a constant throughout art history it helps artists to explore their style and media but still have something original within the designs. I have tried to explore this further using mannequins i have drawn from i have use a template to cut out Indian pattern designs. The layering up of images makes me feel as though there is allot going on in the design. with black lines over lapping it seems as though the lines are interacting with the colours and patterns i have used. I think the repeat pattern i have produced works really well but to me it doesn't really show Indian culture that well. For me it is more about the aesthetics and less about the meaning behind something. Although i feel a meaning behind an image or composition can help me to develop my ideas further. I also think in this design i could reduce the amount of human figures used to create a more modern yet tradition piece. I don't think the flat, still mannequins really show the energy i want to portray in my work.

Exploring Colour

I want to look at colour as a major part of this unit of work. Indian culture is all about flamboyancey and Traditions so i feel that by using a contrast of bright colours and pencil i will show this through my work. I feel that pencil and colour are contrasts but together they work to produce an energy and vibrancy because the pencil makes the colour seem brighter than it would normally. I have experimented with different types of techniques and styles to see what is the best way to apply colour. Techniques such as batik. I have used batik to block out splats of colour, the layered up ink to make give the colours depth. i think this way of working is a little to over indulgent with inks and i should tone the ink down a little so it still has the energy but not enough to cancel out the detail of the pencil. I will try other techniques further in my development stages to help me decide on how to apply the media.

Photo of Reference

The shoot went well, it really helped me to gain a sense of what it will be like working in the real world! The model was great and perfect for a reference in my work, I feel the outfits she brought were perfect for what i wanted. They catptured alot of light and reflection within the intrecate design of the saree. although i think both sets worked well the most inspirational for me was the blue set as the gems and details showsup really well. Using pencils and inks i have tried to recreate the image but not exact as I want a slightly abstract image to come through. As well as drawing the model i have taken images from i think my work will benefit from working from secondary images of the festival known as, the holy festival, which is where people gather together in celebration of colour. I want to portray this slightly through my work and i feel by using watercolours and inks as subtle colour i will achieve this well, As well as intregating some pattern and textiles into my final outcome. working with pencil helps me express mys kilss more so i feel that working with pencil along with other media techniques will help me to produce the best i can. At the beggining of the project i fealt that the way i was ging to show the traditions of Indian culture was to use material as the main media i am begging to feel i should explore both paper and material to see what the best media for my final piece is.

Planning a photoshoot

I will shortly be doing a photo shoot with an Indian model which i feel will help me to produce some ideas or at least be good for references. Planning a photo shoot is the best part. I have researched and l0ooked into how others have used Indian models in their work. I have asked the model to bring along traditional Indian dress to add texture to the images i will be taking. I have found images that have a lot of bright colours and allot of fun about them. As i mainly want the images for reference and not as a final outcome i don’t feel the colours or the depth of the imagery has to be as resolved, whereas if i was aiming to do photography as a final piece i feel i would put a lot more thought and plan the different shoots before entering the shoot next week. When finishing the shoot i will edit the images using photoshop as i may use them in the diploma show and need them at a high standard also i will find the images easier to work from once they’ve been cleared up and resolved. I am planning to use two different coloured saree’s just for detail and to add more to the images and therefore to my designs.

Primary Sources

I find it easier to produce work from visually attractive pieces of primary sources. Using traditional Indian jewellery in these photograms i feel that it will inspire me in different ways such as the line and symmetry in which i have placed the pieces. Indian culture is about flamboyancy, brightness and decoration i feel that although the photogrames are monotone and quite flat the lines and overall look to the pieces give a certain sense of glamour and maybe tradition within the imagery. Instead of looking and the low points of some Indian culture such as poverty and negativity i feel that my work should show the more, glamorous, celebratory side to Indian traditions, such as pattern, colour and decoration. Jewellery is one way in which i can show this in my work. And although i may not take this forward to my final outcome i feel the visually stimulating images will help me to decide what outcome will be best to show the vibrancy of Indian culture.

Artist Research

To start this unit of work i started by looking at one artist in partcular. Chris Ofili! An amzing artist winning the Turner Prize in 1998. He is known for his paintings, referencing aspects of Nigerian heritage. His work to me is interesting and colourful which is one of the main reasons i want to focus on him as an inspiring artist. His use of bright colours gives an almost Batik look to his paintings. I want to use inks and ct out the detail of the Taj Mahal to give a simular but individual look to my work. This is all Part of my development work, using materials and techniques to help me decide on the look and feel of my final outcome, I will add detail of how i produce things throughout my sketchbook.

Website of Reference: http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/chrisofili/default.shtm



The Theme

I have chosen the theme of India so I could explore a range of media techniques and materials that suit my personalilty as I feel by doing this I will put my all into the project. Exploring a range of starting points to begin with i.e: jewellery, textiles, pattern and colour will enable me to narrow my findings and chose the subject I want to base my theme around. I feel India will give me alot to work with, I like the bright and vibrant colours of indian culture and the flamboiancy of their traditions. I began this project by looking at a mixture of secondary images such as, the Taj Mahal, henna and pattern within Indian traditions. I produced a secondary research page that included these themes using bright coulourful techniques for the backgrounds. which will help me to move further and take through the vibrancy of colour through to my design ideas

Making a Decision!

Over the weekend I’ve been thinking about possible title and starting points for my Final Major Project. We are expected to produce work for our final unit of work which will be assessed by an examiner and exhibited later on in the summer. Throughout this year my work has been very feminine and delicate. I think I should move on from this style of work as I need to make improvements and develop my style further. Although I feel moving to far away from my current style would be a bad choice.

I knew that I wanted to do a project using bright vibrant colours but not necessarily in a delicate way. I also knew that I wanted to combine illustration and textiles in my work as this seems to be a consistency throughout and one I feel most inspiring!

I then had a discussion with a few tutors and friends which really helped me to decide on a theme for this unit of work. Illustrators often use bright and flowing colours and imagery in their work this is the reason they are the inspiration for my work. When a piece is complete it makes me feel proud about the piece of work I have finished and helps me to move forward with my ideas. Knowing I like to use bright and colourful fabrics and techniques I took the decision to use a sort of cultural theme such as, Japanese, Chinese or Indian. The colours and style of work these cultural places involve are really inspirational. Things such as the henna tattoo industry in India are fast growing and could influence my work in this project. The lines and shapes that are used in henna tattooing are naturally formed and flow around the shape of the body, in a sort of magical yet cultural way. Japanese are also inspirational with the use of ink and flowing lines and techniques.

Looking at the work of others will help me to decide on the theme and maybe more solidly about the style of my work i want to produce.

- Lauren Thompson