final work of second year

Behold, the final work for my second year at Newcastle University. This is by no means the end of this project, as I wish to further abstract and increase the dimensions of my work.

Monoprint and chalk pastel on A1 paper

Monoprint on A1 paper

Indian ink and tape on tissue paper, creating the cartoon for my composite print. My larger print is having to be made up of 4 separate prints, due to limitations in paper size and printing press size.

Monoprint and chalk pastel on paper, 114cm x 148cm

preliminary sketches for monoprints

Leading on from my last post, using the same subject matter I am going to experiment with monoprint. I made some preliminary sketches from which my monoprints would be based.

All above - charcoal, graphite or acrylic on A5 sketchbook

I then made some small print experiments, using complementary colours to create credible depth and believability of the figure in space, then colouring over in chalk pastel to add another dimension and coherence between the forms and tone.

All of the above prints were derived from the previous sketches, again trying to eliminate my usage of photography as a source, working more intuitively with colour and form.

developed paintings

Leading on from my sketches in my previous post, I started these paintings.
As each piece influences the next, I begin to develop an intuitive approach to colour, tone, and form, and with a diminished dependence on photography, I begin to embody the medium of paint, becoming a physical manifestation of self-portraiture. Placing the figure in my university bedroom, I try to create credible depth in the painting whilst expressing both the freedom and isolation of the student experience in a new city.

Oil on board - approx A4

Oil on board - approx A5

Oil on board - approx 15cm x 15cm

Acrylic sketch - approx 10cm x 10cm

Oil on board - 42cm x 40cm

Oil on board - 38cm x 41cm

newest work - figurative abstraction

SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN UPDATES.

I have been absolutely inundated with work experience at Phaidon over Easter, various essays, friend's 21st's, and final assessments for 2nd year. But here it is! A whistle-stop tour of what I have been up to in the last 5 or so months. 

I began with an expressive painting workshop over two days, working intuitively with form and colour, which helped to alleviate how contrived my painting had become. It helped to initiate an entire new project which spanned the course of the next few months.

Acrylic on A2 paper

I began then actively helping myself to paint intuitively, working from photographs but only at a glance, giving myself 5 or 10 minutes to complete a painting, which then, as I am actively attempting to diminish and then fully erase my dependence on photography as a source, I will use the expressive forms in the preliminary sketches to influence my further pain

 All above: acrylic on A3 sketchbook, across double page.

A monochromatic abstracted figurative sketch in acrylic on a found apron.


More sketchbook pages. A5

Sound Strand

Throughout last semester, we were all separated into smaller groups to undertake a strand - ranging from traditional oil portraiture, to digital programming, filmmaking and drawing from film, and my strand, Sound.
I have never, nor have ever intended to work with sound as an art medium so was obviously apprehensive and pretty disheartened with my strand. I found the recording or everyday noises mundane and the programming (on platforms such as Audacity, and Pure Data) confusing and uninspiring.
However, as we were expected to present a piece in the Strand Exhibition, I undertook the challenge and tried to adapt the medium to my interests.
I found the spoken word a lot more interesting to listen to than obscure noises, and recorded a random conversation I had with a course mate observing a children's school trip in our University's art gallery and reminiscing.
I overlaid three of the same conversation on top of each other, leaving one as it was, playing one backwards and the final one I sped up 2x. The resulting sound had been transformed from the mature, if fairly dull conversation of two adults into the chaos ruckus of the children's excitement on the school trip, linking the two.
I knew I wanted the sound to emanate from some sculptures, and drawing on some papier mache experiments I did earlier (see two posts previous) I worked abstractly from memory of me and Lex hunched over, chatting. I thought the papier mache medium also perfectly encapsulated the nostalgia associated with primary school.
See below for finished product

the Marshall mini-amps which were encased in the sculpture