Abstract Artist Research (PAUL'S GROUP)

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. This work will be marked with the rest of the project when you hand in on Monday 6th October.

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

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. Try www.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.

Drawing Homework (PAUL'S GROUP)

To complement the work we have been doing in class you should make a sustained full page pencil tonal drawing from your still life photos. These drawings need to be completed and submitted with the rest of your project on Monday 6th October.
Select a good photographic image that is relatively complex 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.

Spraypaint Artist Research (IVAN'S GROUP)

To complement the work you have been doing in class you need to find an Artist who creates works which involve spray stencils, and base your research on this individual. Present your research over a minimum of two pages and use the guidance to ensure you cover the right stuff in your written analysis. Some works by potential Artists to study are featured below:

Bryce Chisholm

Banksy

Bernie Reid

RESEARCH

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

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

ANALYSIS

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

1. Give a detailed description of the artwork.

2. Analyse – comment upon use of colour, composition, media, 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 image particularly successful due to the dynamic way in which the Artist has combined spray stencils with other media).

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. In this case your own spray stencil work can be presented as your response, you might consider making an image that combines your spray stencil with other media if the Artist you have selected does this.

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.

Tools Progress List and Research (IVAN'S GROUP)

By the end of this week 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, best ones printed out at A5/A4 and put in sketchbook.
• 2 or more other drawings of your tool in your sketchbook, these could be in pencil/biro/fineliner.
• Expressive A3 stick and ink drawing.
• A3 chalk and charcoal drawing onto midtoned paper.
• At least one Gold Card plate cut and several prints taken from it.
• A3 collage base drawing.
• At least one good detailed monoprint.
• 4 pages research work into Jim Dine's Tool drawings and the Collage work of Florian Nicolle (see below).
• 2 or more experiments with food dyes and bleach (working over photocopies).
• Several experiments with spray stencilling, cut at least one stencil and play with different backgrounds, repeating, offsetting and rotating your stencil, combine colours.
• Some creative use of the photocopier, inverting images and colours ...but be selective, don't fill your book with loads of photocopying - that starts to give the impression you are looking for shortcuts.
• At least one strong acetate collage piece, worked into with stitch. A careful A4 carbon print.
• 2 pages of research into an Artist who uses spraypaint (see separate post for guidance).
• A word processed evaluation.

 

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 (this should be an interpretation of your tool in the style of each Artist).

If you get the opportunity there is currently an exhibition of Jim Dine's work (including some of his Tools prints) at the Alan Cristea galleries on Cork Street in London (Piccadilly or Green Park tube). Have a great day out in London and enhance your Art education as a part of it - win, win!



Jim Dine

Florian Nicolle

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

Photo Joiners (PAUL'S GROUP)

Don't forget to bring cameras/cameraphones/card readers/download cables in with you tomorrow (Weds. 24th September).
You will also need to ensure you have some printing credit (or bring money to top up).

A few tips for when you do your photo joiners:

• It helps to take your photos all from approximately the same position. Move the camera to capture different sections, rather than wandering around - otherwise you may end up with a set of very disjointed images.
• Whilst you are going for a fragmented look if you vary the zoom or viewpoint too much the whole thing quickly becomes incoherent.
• You will be surprised at how many photos you need to make an effective joiner, as there is inevitably some that aren't useful - I'd suggest a minimum of 30 shots.
• I found for working at A3 scale selecting the "Wallet Prints" option from the printer wizard was the most effective - this gives you 9 images on an A4 printed page. 

David Hockney Joiner Research (PAUL'S GROUP)

 

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.

Tool Photography (IVAN'S GROUP)

For the printmaking you will be starting with Charmian tomorrow (Weds. 24th September) you will need a range of photographs of your Tool. Make these as dramatic and interesting as possible. Zoom in, choose unusual angles, consider lighting, cropping and viewpoint carefully. You might make use of cast shadows or select a specific background for your shots.
Take 15 - 20 shots and print 4 - 6 of the best at A4 or A5 scale. Here are a few sample shots to give you the idea:

Stuff for Monday (PAUL'S GROUP)

For Monday's painting project you will need:

• Either a range of your own paintbrushes (including some large ones) or £1.50 to buy some brushes from us.
• An old shirt for painting in is also a good idea.
• £3 for an A3 stapled sketchbook.
• Pencils and a rubber.

STUFF for MONDAY (Ivan's Group)

 

 

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 (£2/£3) for a softback sketchbook for the new project.
• Camera/camera phone.

 

Project Evaluation (IVAN's GROUP)

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 22nd 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).

Project Evaluation (PAUL'S GROUP)

TOOLS PROJECT EVALUATION

In order to pass this project, you will need to write a short evaluation.  This will clearly define the processes and techniques you have investigated, as well as outlining any high moments and low moments.

·        Begin by giving a brief outline of the project – describing what you were being asked to do.

·        Talk about why you selected your particular tool, i.e., what design and drawing opportunities it could offer you. You could talk about the range of pencil grades you needed to use in order to record it accurately & the individual shapes within the object that you could isolate and use within your experimental pieces.

·        Talk through all the different processes you encountered, keeping it brief & informative, which were the most successful in your view, & how have your existing skills been extended in the process.

·        Talk about the artists you researched, why they were relevant and how you used what you learnt about them in your own work.

You should, all through this evaluation, analyse each step, talk about how successful it was & how you might improve upon it.

This should be 400-600 words, included in your sketchbook and word processed.

Spray Paint Artist Research (PAUL'S GROUP)

To complement the work you have been doing in class you need to find an Artist who creates works which involve spray stencils, and base your research on this individual. Present your research over a minimum of two pages and use the guidance to ensure you cover the right stuff in your written analysis. Some works by potential Artists to study are featured below:

Bryce Chisholm

Banksy

Bernie Reid

RESEARCH

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

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

ANALYSIS

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

1. Give a detailed description of the artwork.

2. Analyse – comment upon use of colour, composition, media, 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 image particularly successful due to the dynamic way in which the Artist has combined spray stencils with other media).

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. In this case your own spray stencil work can be presented as your response, you might consider making an image that combines your spray stencil with other media if the Artist you have selected does this.

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.