TOWARDS A VISUAL LANGUAGE​

Developing a visual style, approach, subject matter will progress differently for each artist.

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This Summer Term project is designed to factor in flexibility in order to try and give each artist the potential to develop in their own direction - even though they might not know what that direction is as yet.

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Throughout the term I will reference 4 primary focus points: Drawing, subject matter, composition and skills & techniques. Each of these elements will be expanded on and experimented around during the term.

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The idea is that we will produce artworks each week as usual but it will have a connection and potential for personalised progress and bigger, longer projects.

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reference (real objects or photographs) and a range of subject matter.

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BETWEEN CLASSES & MONDAY OPEN WORKSHOP

As often as I can each week and on this VLE I will suggest things to progress during the week if you want to and have the time. There is also the Monday open workshop (10am - 1pm). Artists need to put their names down on the list in class.

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FOCUS ON DRAWING

We will be drawing for 20 minutes at the start of some classes during this term using different medium and using a range of reference (real objects or photographs) and a range of subject matter.

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BETWEEN CLASSES SUGGESTION #1

On the back of the still life with plants and flowers project look round your house and produce a series of sketches using different medium:

A technical drawing exercise that tests your perspective - using a pencil (we used 6B in class for the blue pot)​.

PROJECT:

STILL LIFE COMPOSITION​

Drawing - this can range from a technical exercise of observation or it can be a more expressionistic and freer engagement with perspective and viewing positions. So from the first 2 weeks of drawing the jug as a technical exercise to the mixed media still life with plants and flowers project.

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Subject matter - the still life with plants and flowers - was put together by artists' making choices of elements and from their own photographs from around the garden.

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Composition - initially deciding on format and producing a few small sketches in order to get an initial idea of objects and the relations to other objects (some crossing over), and the importance of the negative space. We will develop different ways to plan our compositions across the term using tonal range and other methods.

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Skills and techniques - Initial drawing of the pot was a technical exercise of drawing - looking at how to draw ellipses on the blue jug, we also looked for the correct angle, or plane that both the spout and the handle were on.

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Once the drawing was completed in pencil we worked on the background using inks. A very different kind of drawing as we looked for rhythms and overlay in the more expressionistic marks (we could have also worked into the background with bleach). The technical marks for the jug drawing contrasting with the expressionistic mark making of the leaves. We then used chalk pastels to try and get a sense of the light reflecting off the jug.