Progress Checklist for Tools Project + Research

By Monday 30th September the work for the Tools project you should have completed is:

• At least 1 sustained pencil drawing of your tool completed from direct observation.
• A series of thoughtfully lit and composed photographs of your tool.
• 2 or more other drawings in your sketchbook, these could be in pencil/biro/fineliner.
• Expressive large scale stick and ink drawing.
• A3 chalk and charcoal drawing onto midtoned paper.
• Minimum of one well finished carbon print.
• At least one Gold Card plate cut and several prints taken from it.
• A3 collage base drawing.
• 4 pages research work into Jim Dine's Tool drawings and the Collage work of Florian Nicolle (see below).

Two pages of research into the Tool drawings of Jim Dine and the same for the mixed media collage work of Florian Nicolle - find good reproductions of their work, give a brief bit of background information about each Artist, provide some analysis and personal opinion on at least 2 specific images by each of them and make at least one visual response of your own to each Artist's work.

Jim Dine



Florian Nicolle



For next week please bring in £2.50 as a contribution to group materials I will need to purchase for technique work (coloured dyes and spray paints).

Stuff for Monday...

Please Remember to bring the following items for the new project on Monday:

• A complex handtool, ideally with moving parts - so corkscrews, can openers, mechanical whisks, hand drills, garden secateurs are all good options.

• Drawing pencils and a rubber.
• Money (£1/£2) for a softback sketchbook for the new project.
• Camera/camera phone.

Colour Project Evaluation Guidance

Colour Project Evaluation

Write your evaluation as a flowing piece of text, using full sentences, but ensure you cover the following points:

·                   Identify at least two aspects of your observational painting that you consider to be successful. (These could be things such as composition, use of colour, creation of space, observation of detail or painterly technique). Justify and explain your choices.

·                   Identify an aspect of your observational painting that you could improve, explain your choice.

·                   Have you learnt anything from producing the observational painting? Did you find this straightforward or a difficult task?

·                   Overall are you satisfied with your observational painting? Give reasons.

·                   Do you think your photographic joiners were successful? Did you enjoy making them? Identify some strengths and weaknesses of the images you made, did you find this a challenging activity?

·                   Identify at least two aspects of your mixed media abstraction that you consider successful. Explain your choices.

·                   Identify an aspect of your mixed media abstraction that you could improve, explain your choice.

·                   Explain something you have learnt from producing the mixed media abstraction.

·                   Overall are you satisfied with your mixed media abstraction? Give reasons.

·                   Over the project which Artists did you research? What appealed to you about their work? Did your research help or influence any of your own work in any way? Describe how.

·                   Which of the painting methods did you enjoy the most?

·                   Which painting do you consider your most successful; why?

PLEASE COMPLETE AND HAND IN YOUR WORD-PROCESSED EVALUATION

With the rest of your work BY 4.30PM ON MONDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER.

MINIMUM SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

·         A well completed A2 observational painting.

·         Fully finished A1 Mixed Media Abstraction.

·         Full page tonal pencil drawing based on the Still Life in your sketchbook.

·         2 pages research into David Hockney’s photographic joiners.

·         2 resolved photographic joiners of your own based on the still life.

·         Larger print outs of 4 – 6 of your best photos of the still life (A5 scale).

·         4 pages of research into Abstract painters.

·         Word-processed project evaluation (300-500 words).

Checklist for project so far & abstract example pieces.

To help you keep track of your work in the project here is a little checklist:

• David Hockney photo joiner research (should be completed already).
• A2 observational painting from the colour still life (should be complete).
• 2 x photo joiners based on the still life in your sketchbook (should be finished by the end of Monday).
• Full page tonal drawing based on the still life (finish for Monday).

Tasks for the second week of the project will be:

• A1 mixed media abstraction.
• Abstract artist research with visual responses.
• Project evaluation.

And to get you thinking about the abstract work, here are some examples of previous student's work:

Charlotte Howard

Sophie McCullagh

Georgina McDougall

Lucy Watson

Simone D'Rozario

Josh Notarmarco Pope

Annie Wigg

Rosie Corfe

Megan Reid

Mariella Hancock

Lily Livingston

George Woodger

Cam Symons

Daisy Meyer

Lucy Ellis

Flo Smith

Kaya Barber

Abstract Artist Research

You need to research and analyse at least 3 different abstract paintings by 2 different Artists (minimum of 6 paintings in total). The work should be thoughtfully presented over at least 4 sketchbook pages. Some suggested Artists to research are listed below. We will look at this work in a lesson on Friday and it will be marked with the rest of the project when you hand in on Monday 23rd September.

Hans Hofmann, Howard Hodgkin, Albert Irvin, Gerhard Richter, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Richard Diebenkorn, Cy Twombly, Gillian Ayres, John Hoyland.

Jackson Pollock at work

Gerhard Richter

Albert Irvin

Hans Hofmann

Willem De Kooning

RESEARCH

1. Identify each Artist and include brief biographical details/background information.

2. Find examples of artworks – get good colour copies, list dates, dimensions and media used.

3. If you can find them, include quotations from the Artist. Trywww.artquotes.net

ANALYSIS

1. Give a detailed description of the artwork.

2. Analyse – comment upon use of colour, composition, technique, scale etc.

WRITTEN RESPONSE

1. Give an opinion on the Artworks, but ensure you justify what you say. Avoid simple value judgements (‘I really like/dislike…’) or vague, meaningless statements (’This piece is really effective’). Comment upon how successful or unsuccessful you find the artwork, and give specific reasons why you hold this opinion (I find this painting particularly successful due to the way in which the Artist has created a balanced composition by distributing the strong red colour evenly throughout the piece).

2. What is the relationship between this work and your own? Identify and explain connections between this artist’s work and your own.

VISUAL RESPONSE

1. It is important to also include your own visual responses to artists’ work. This can either be a copy of an artwork (or a detail of a work) with the purpose of analysing technique; a diagram or study that investigates certain formal elements of the artwork (composition, brushwork); or a piece of your own work that clearly uses some of the techniques, methods or aspects of this artist’s work.

OVERALL PRESENTATION

1. Take pride in the overall presentation of your research, it should not be rushed. Consider each element carefully:  type, layout, titles, visual responses etc.

Sample Photo Joiner

Drawing Task.

For the beginning of next week you should make a sustained full page pencil tonal drawing from your still life photos. We will look at these drawings on Monday in a lesson.
Select a good photographic image and set your composition out carefully with a B/HB pencil in line then add a range of tones using softer pencils (2B - 6B), make sure your darkest tones use the full depth of tone you can achieve (press hard).
This should be a sustained piece that shows off your drawing ability to the full, you might use a rubber to help you pick out the highlights.

Welcome!

Welcome to a new year of students here at Alton - This Blog is the place to come for course news, to do lists, project information, practical tips, example work and  forthcoming events (trips etc.).

So here is your first project brief (FOR IVAN'S GROUP):

BTEC Extended Diploma 1^ST YEAR PROJECT BRIEF.

PROJECT:  Colour.

SPECIALISM:  Fine Art (painting).

BTEC: Core Unit 1 (Drawing Development).

      Core Unit 3 (Materials, Techniques & Processes).

      Core Unit 4 (Ideas & Concepts).

      Core Unit 5 (Visual Communication).

CONTENT:

Initially working from direct observation we will be exploring different aspects of colour by creating a series of images. Our visual reference material will be a still life made up with a variety of brightly coloured hanging drapes and objects. As we move through the project our focus will shift from observation towards more intuitive and abstract uses of colour. Over the course of the project we will use paint, photography, drawing media and collage techniques. We will enrich our understanding of how Artists approach abstraction through sketchbook based research.

Week 1: Observational Painting:

We will be producing 1 or 2 observational paintings on an A2 scale. Alongside this we will be undertaking some photography and making collages and drawings.

GUIDELINES for your Observational painting:

·         Think carefully about your composition, how much of the still life arrangement should you include to achieve the most visually stimulating image?

·         Look hard at what you are painting, you should visually analyse shapes, colours and tones and observe how they relate to each other.

·         Use paint with confidence, you need to approach your piece with energy and enthusiasm. Start with your biggest brush, and don’t be afraid of making mistakes.

·         Be imaginative in your interpretation of colour: Look for and exaggerate hints of colour within colours (e.g. cool blues in areas of shadow).

·         Mix colours do not use colours straight from the pot. When lightening and darkening colours use other colours other than black and white to do this (you should not need black at all).

·         Use your water to alter the consistency and quality of the paint, use a range of applications from thin washes to thick impasto.

·         Look around you and learn from the approaches of other people in the group.

Week 2: Mixed Media Abstraction

In the second week of the project we will produce a sustained A1 mixed media abstraction. Initially we will work rapidly with a series of different materials (charcoal, newsprint, paint, pastels, tissue, scrim and hessian), before spending time refining and balancing our final images. We will conclude the project with a group crit and produce a written evaluation.

GUIDELINES for your Mixed Media Abstraction:

·         Be bold and experimental with the range of materials available to you, ensure you utilise the range of mark making techniques these materials allow you to achieve.

·         After using the still life as a starting point try to put all thought of representation out of your mind, and work within an entirely abstract context.

·         Be aware of the decision making processes that go into producing a successful abstract composition, good abstract work does not occur through accidental means.

·         Use colour imaginatively, to lead the viewer’s eye, to provide an illusion of depth, to create mood and atmosphere etc.

·         Work on your image from all sides. Rotate it, try working flat and at an easel for different effects.

·         Change the consistency of the paint to change the character of the marks you make.

·         Use texture carefully, large build ups of material can easily unbalance an image.

·         Don’t be afraid of making mistakes or making radical changes to your painting.

·         Taking material away (e.g. tearing layers back) can be just as effective as adding to an image constantly.

·         Continue to mix colours and avoid the obvious.

 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

You will be marked on how effectively you:

·         Demonstrate confidence and skill in the handling of paint and mixed media.

·         Select and resolve compositions.

·         Observe and record.

·         Demonstrate understanding of techniques and concepts (such as spatial use of colour) and effectively integrate these into your practical work.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

·         At least one well resolved A2 observational painting.

·         Fully finished A1 Mixed Media Abstraction.

·         A set of at least 20 photographs of the still life arrangement (print thumbnails of them all and include the best 3 or 4 shots as larger A5 printouts)

·         At least one photomontage/joiner based on the Still Life inspired by David Hockney’s work.

·         2 pages of research into David Hockney’s photographic joiners thoughtfully presented alongside your own analysis.

·         A sustained Tonal pencil drawing based on your still life photography in your sketchbook.

·         A collection of images (minimum 6) by abstract artists, thoughtfully presented in your sketchbook with analytical comments and visual responses.

·         Word-processed project evaluation (300-500 words).

REFERENCES:

For Photography: David Hockney.

Abstraction: Hans Hofmann, Howard Hodgkin, Albert Irvin, Gerhard Richter, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Richard Diebenkorn.

DEADLINE: Monday 23rd September 4.30pm

...and here are details of your first research homework:

 

David Hockney Photographic Joiner Research

You need to find and print out at least 4 examples of David Hockney’s “Photographic Joiners” research this aspect of his work and analyse at least 2 of the images you have found in depth. This work should be thoughtfully presented over at least 2 sketchbook pages.

RESEARCH

1. Title your pages with the Artist’s name, in this case David Hockney, you might consider using fonts available online from sites such as www.dafont.com
2. Find good examples of Hockney’s photographic joiners – not paintings and not tiny jpegs that print out pixellated.
3. Give a little background information on the Artist, when he was born, when he started to make his photographic collages and why.
4. Include quotations from the David Hockney (ideally that relate to his photographic work). Try www.artquotes.net

ANALYSIS

1. Give a detailed description of the artwork.
2. Analyse – comment upon use of colour, composition, technique/media, scale etc.

WRITTEN RESPONSE

1. Give an opinion on the Artworks, but ensure you justify what you say. Avoid simple value judgements (‘I really like/dislike…’) or vague, meaningless statements (’This piece is really effective’). Comment upon how successful or unsuccessful you find the artwork, and give specific reasons why you hold this opinion (I find this joiner particularly interesting because of the way in which the Hockney has explored mixing up different scales and viewpoints).
2. What is the relationship between this work and your own? Identify and explain connections between this artist’s work and your own.

VISUAL RESPONSE

1. We will be responding to Hockney’s work by producing our own Joiners based on the still life arrangement, look at how Hockney makes his images to help you create your own.

OVERALL PRESENTATION

1. Take pride in the overall presentation of your research, it should not be rushed. Consider each element carefully:  type, layout, titles, visual responses etc.