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A LEVEL/YR/1

A LEVEL / PROJECT 1 / COMPOSITIONAL PORTRAITS / PART OF THE QUOTIDIAN TEXT PROJECT

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT

This project is a development of the Quotidian Texts that we all did at the end of the autumn term. Most did this as a written narrative, however you decided to produce the initial 'text' (text - used here in a generic way to describe any considered production) it will inform the project going forward.

I will be relatively prescriptive here in laying out requirements but only to direct the development of a project, down the line, later into this term and the next, these are all your decision.

So we will now start to build sketchbook work driven by the text as we develop this project. Please read through your Quotidian texts and annotations. We are not producing a final artwork yet but working towards it - I want us to think about the potential of including people in the artwork. 

Are there people you could depict for this particular study from your text? Remember this is sketchbook work it is you thinking about potential approaches to medium, content, technique. The people you choose to depict for this study might not be the actual person - remember we are artists and there is fluidity in what we do - nobody needs to recognise your person or people, you may choose randomly or be specific.

As a reference, almost as a TRANSCRIPTION (see BLOG - what is a transcription) approach, I would like you to look at BEATA CHRZANOWSKA (ref below) - Why - I really like the way she considered space in a fragmented way. The faces, arms, handS etc are well articulated but they are considered within a designed construction. She has strongly considered and played with and disrupted the idea of perspectival space, depth, the positive and the negative in her consideration of the composition.

Our last project from the autumn term - ink, stick and baker brush - can also be included as sketchbook work for this part of the project - CLICK Ink and Stick project below to see your artwork.

TO DO:

  1. REREAD YOUR QUOTIDIAN TEXT AND ANNOTATIONS: Think about how you can bring something out of that to inform this project. (Please let me know if you don't have referencer of your quotidian text and annotations and I will get this to you).

  2. COMPOSITIONAL SKETCHES: It is important to produce a few compositional sketches, layouts of the potential artwork or study. This is an important part of any project and is a primary use of drawing.

  3. PRODUCE AN ARTWORK INSPIRED BY BEATA CHRZANOWSKA.

  4. UPLOAD BEFORE OR ON THE MONDAY OF WEEK 2 (18 JANUARY) - Of course this is simply deadline to keep things moving, I will also post the next weeks project on the Monday.

  5. Look on the BLOG at Drawing Faces.

How to upload: take a photograph of your mindmap and also your first artwork. Upload them both to the SHARED GALLERY which is under 'More' in the top menu (you will need to have signed up and be a MEMBER before it lets you upload).

If you have problems with uploading please drop me a message - using the message in the bottom right of each page.

Beata Chrzanowska 1.jpg

Beata Chrzanowska 

Beata Chrzanowska 

Great artwork coming in: I will be adding feedback here later today/tomorrow on project development and will be posting new work for this project.

This looks great Liz. Really like the combination of montage and painting - how you have made them work together by adding parts that work anatomically with the montaged heads.

The figures also associate really well with the background - there is a sense of meaning to the gestures in relation to the spaces.

The inclusion of the map also adds to the idea of specific geographical space and meaning, contours on map also seem to transfer into paint. Excellent composition and structures.

Like the Anne Ryan reference - I can see the visual and conceptual links there - something to work on. I will add a link to her video.

I will be posting info later for the next developing part of the ‘Quotidian Text’ project later but generally we will be looking at relational space as opposed to perspectival space - one artist to look at R.B. Kitaj - I mentioned him at the end of last term. Thanks Liz

Really like the approach you have taken with this project Ruth using material with memories.

 

The structure you have created here - weaving the material into the frame of the people as well as making up the background, the landscape really implies their connection and nostalgic value of the fabric.

 

I think this project really allows us to pay attention to composition and the relevance of all the different kinds of spaces - there is a really balanced flow to this arrangement.

 

The reference I have attached, as I said, is an abstract painting project transferred onto light cotton, printed on our desktop printer in the studio - if you want to try this at home before we are back in the studi drop me a note as there are specific things to do in order not to destroy the printer!

This final piece looks great - pattern work is really strong in the structure. The overall colour palette represents the time really well.

The Beata Chrzanowska transcription works really well Karen with a strong consideration of all the positive and negative elements that go into making the  composition. 

I have picked out a couple of elements from your other artwork that have real impact as abstract marks and could be used as symbols as part of a final artwork. I really like how you have depicted the disco lights and the beams of light - they look great - so abstract but clearly representative at the same time.

Also great work with the annotations and ideas development - all of this will go towards the support material (sketchbook work) for the project

These are great Amy - I know this is not the final artwork for this transcription project - really good to plan around a project.

I like the sketch of the composition - really important to consider the elements as formal arrangements of shape and space before committing and also to think about the colour palette.

 

There is an organic flow to the curvilinear background lines that gives a real sense of unity which makes the artwork (person) seem embedded and comfortable.

Planning also helps us focus on how the artwork sits in the frame - considering the relation of the containing edges (as a wall) with the spaces and shapes it generates.

Really nice things happening here Maddie - like how there is just the one figure looking back at the viewer - all the others seem established in the context of the artwork. 

The scale of the hands, I think, feels relevant as they impose larger than the portraits. Also the sharper lines splitting the image create a sense of fragmentation - figures in different zones - all looking past each other.

Like the pencil sketches for planning out the composition - really helps with considering the impact of the relations between objects and spaces.

Look great Emma, like the preparatory work here - there is something of a Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon resonance here as well. 

It feels like the figures are in a prism, broken up across several planes.

Interesting that they all look out - engage with - the viewer. There is something about surfaces here that works really well, also the use of primary colours gives it a Pop Art feel. 

Interesting what's happening in the top left of your text sheet with the Derek Lerner maps - this could work well in the structure going forward.

Please note I have just started to load these on - everyone's drawings will be loaded during this first week.

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