So being bed bound and disabled has been really annoying as I have been unable to go to all the different exhibitions etc that I would like to... However it does mean I have the extra opportunity to sit back and enjoy my exciting surroundings...
Monday 31 August 2015
London: #WhatReallyMattersfest
My friend Rosie is involved in this project and if I wasnt on crutches I would have definitely made it down as I think its a fabulous idea to embrace Britains youth for their successes in motivation and creativity- this festival is aimed at the youth! Something productive and positive to see and be inspired by or get involved in! This is a theme I want to look at in my zine- however I am not sure yet whether the scene is specified to being like a comic or magazine...!
Sunday 30 August 2015
New York: Shopping Destination
One of our tasks in NYC was to find my sister a prom dress. We headed straight for Macy's. After a few trips to the changing room we were all starting to loose hope... until we headed upstairs where there was a floor dedicated to dresses and in particular ballgowns. There was even a section for fur coats to complete the outfit. (Obviously we opted out of the real fur coats however it was interesting to see that there must be a huge consumer market for it there :/ )
I just found America a bit crazy and overwhelming due to its extreme capitalist and consumer values. A few days later we walked past a begger who was homeless and had been scarred from a house fire, he clearly couldnt work due to the intensity of his injuries and I realised I was so shocked because I have never seen someone obviously disabled begging in England. My mum works in social services sector and she told me a few basics about the differences between America vs England and its safety nets, however this is definitely something I don't know enough about but should do!
So I used the bag to create a collage based on a few more serious subjects. I did one page based on the faceless mass of homeless people - most of the time people don't even look them in the eye when they pass, this way they can continue their shopping with a clear conscience. If they don't notice them, they don't exist. I also put my 9/11 memorial ticket on the other page with falling stars; symbolising the lives that were lost in both the planes and buildings, the stars on the American flag and the star on the front of the Macy's bag.
So I used the bag to create a collage based on a few more serious subjects. I did one page based on the faceless mass of homeless people - most of the time people don't even look them in the eye when they pass, this way they can continue their shopping with a clear conscience. If they don't notice them, they don't exist. I also put my 9/11 memorial ticket on the other page with falling stars; symbolising the lives that were lost in both the planes and buildings, the stars on the American flag and the star on the front of the Macy's bag.
Work Work
Every time I go to work I am inspired by both the work ethic of my boss and other employees and by the amazing locations, houses and decor where we do the events. Most of the time we do private events around oxfordshire/berkshire/buckinghamshire at peoples own homes or hired out venues. I am lucky enough to work for a well respected company so we often go to incredible stately homes and get a chance to see how the other half live. A few times this summer I have been running round the old servants quarters transporting champagne etc from one secret passage way to another... I find the interior and exterior design in these places absolutely breath taking and you just want to be really unprofessional and explore! I love that they have huge portraits of family members and really embrace their history and family. I also love all of the little details such as fire places, door knobs etc which are beautifully crafted... I even came across a toilet seat I wanted to take a picture of!
Here is a photo of an old pet I discovered in Fawley Court, one of the locations I worked in... this job also brings your attention to the amount of perfection and detail the 'upperclasses' have in their etiquette and behavior, for example we were scolded for not having the wrapper around the wine cut to a perfect line. It is a good glimpse into how important it is to have the most exclusive best of the best in some societies- I think this comes from investing money wisely for example putting money into property and into the right timeless quality curtains etc. However this job also opens my eyes to the amount of waste and how disposable money is to some people- you open catering (ginormous) fridges at weddings and they are overfilling with hundred pound bottles of champagne which we get told to constantly fill guests flutes with... the experience of the upper-classes is to have enough money not to worry about money. Tasteful extravagance and luxury.
This definitely influences my work as I always pick up on the intricacies and details in the designs around these houses. It also makes you think about why people buy things and who buys what and why- what are they trying to show or portray... or do they just like it- but why? These are important questions for me to think about as the work I do in my illustration will be likely to be involved in commercial items etc.
This definitely influences my work as I always pick up on the intricacies and details in the designs around these houses. It also makes you think about why people buy things and who buys what and why- what are they trying to show or portray... or do they just like it- but why? These are important questions for me to think about as the work I do in my illustration will be likely to be involved in commercial items etc.
New York: Live Music/Performances
Raw Milk:
Street Dancers:
Hawkers/Selling CDs etc (self promotion slash scam):
Street Dancers:
Hawkers/Selling CDs etc (self promotion slash scam):
Friday 28 August 2015
New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was amazing, I absolutely loved it and felt inspired by so much!
From the portraiture to the stain glass windows...
In my sketchbook I experimented with continuing the artworks onto my pages and exploring themes and quotes that could link or juxtapose to the image!
Fashion - Asia?
From the portraiture to the stain glass windows...
In my sketchbook I experimented with continuing the artworks onto my pages and exploring themes and quotes that could link or juxtapose to the image!
Fashion - Asia?
New York: The Waldorf Astoria
I spent two nights here and I felt totally out of my depth but totally in awe of all the intricate detail in every ornament and decor in the hotel - I loved it. Everything had been carefully created with the best craftsmen, tools and materials.
New York: American Museum of Natural History
The first thing I fell in love with at this museum was the quotes on the huge walls on the inside at reception:
London: the Saatchi Gallery
I visited the Saatchi Gallery this summer with a friend, the artwork there was probably some of the most disturbing I've seen exhibited there - which is saying a lot! I found the death exhibition really creepy and disturbing - which was obviously the point... confronting head on our feelings/views/taboos about death. There was also some weird sloth creature in a jar which had scratch marks on the inside insinuating a long attempted and failed escape strategy on its behalf. Ew. I was not a fan. However I like that it did cause a strong reaction in me - my friend on the other hand absolutely loved it and plans on basing her own art project on the rituals around death etc. :)
The Saatchi Gallery is a London gallery for contemporary art, opened by Charles Saatchi in 1985 in order to exhibit his collection to the public. It has occupied different premises, first in North London, then the South Bank by the River Thames, and finally in Chelsea, its current location. Saatchi's collection—and hence the gallery's shows—has had distinct phases, starting with US artists and minimalism, moving to the Damien Hirst-led Young British Artists, followed by shows purely of painting, and then returning to contemporary art from America in USA Today at the Royal Academy in London. A 2008 exhibition of contemporary Chinese art formed the inaugural exhibition in the new venue for the gallery at the Duke of York's HQ.
The Saatchi Gallery is a London gallery for contemporary art, opened by Charles Saatchi in 1985 in order to exhibit his collection to the public. It has occupied different premises, first in North London, then the South Bank by the River Thames, and finally in Chelsea, its current location. Saatchi's collection—and hence the gallery's shows—has had distinct phases, starting with US artists and minimalism, moving to the Damien Hirst-led Young British Artists, followed by shows purely of painting, and then returning to contemporary art from America in USA Today at the Royal Academy in London. A 2008 exhibition of contemporary Chinese art formed the inaugural exhibition in the new venue for the gallery at the Duke of York's HQ.
The gallery has been an influence on art in Britain since its opening. It has also had a history of media controversy, which it has actively courted, and has earned extremes of critical reaction. Many artists shown at the gallery are unknown not only to the general public but also to the commercial art world; showing at the gallery has provided a springboard to launch careers.
In 2010, it was announced that the gallery would be given to the British public, becoming the Museum of Contemporary Art for London.
I picked up a few irresistible books from the gift shop:
London: Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty Exhibition
I fell in love with Alexander McQueen even more during this exhibition. I absolutely loved the quotes and themes behind his collections and his work really drove my inspiration into my dissertation topic looking into evolution and our innate reactions to animals in art.
I think the topic of nature and evolution in todays world is actually something we keep trying to distance and seperate ourselves from when it actually infact drives everything we do.
London: Weird Interactive Shop
We saw this shop down a really quiet road and couldn't resist the temptation to go in. What was inside noone could have imagined....
My friend Ruth Spencer Jolly described it as 'a bizarre amusement arcade full of hand built machines with an original and eccentric marriage of social commentary, art and low-brow addictive slot devices.' Which I think sums it up perfectly.
To check out these wild inventions for yourself follow the link below:
http://www.novelty-automation.com/
My friend Ruth Spencer Jolly described it as 'a bizarre amusement arcade full of hand built machines with an original and eccentric marriage of social commentary, art and low-brow addictive slot devices.' Which I think sums it up perfectly.
To check out these wild inventions for yourself follow the link below:
http://www.novelty-automation.com/
London: The Hunterian
During a trip to London recently I visited the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons.
I found this visit incredibly influential and inspirational on my dissertation topic of evolution and our innate reactions to animals in art. I was shocked by the fetuses in jars but so so intrigued and the similarities between the jarred animals was amazing to see in this context. The two men who worked there were really kind and talked to my friend and I about the museum in detail, showing us their favourite pieces and giving us a brief history of the collection. Unfortunately we had to catch a train so had to leave, but it was so interesting and somewhere I would definitely go back to even though most of it made me cringe and squeemish - this reaction was almost part of the intrigue... the effect looking at this stuff has on us! So natural yet so unnatural to us.
The Hunterian Museum boasts unrivalled collections of human and non-human anatomical and pathological specimens, models, instruments, painting and sculptures that reveal the art and science of surgery from the 17th century to the present day. Read on to find out about the individual collections’ history, highlights and unique treasures.
The Hunterian Collection
I found this visit incredibly influential and inspirational on my dissertation topic of evolution and our innate reactions to animals in art. I was shocked by the fetuses in jars but so so intrigued and the similarities between the jarred animals was amazing to see in this context. The two men who worked there were really kind and talked to my friend and I about the museum in detail, showing us their favourite pieces and giving us a brief history of the collection. Unfortunately we had to catch a train so had to leave, but it was so interesting and somewhere I would definitely go back to even though most of it made me cringe and squeemish - this reaction was almost part of the intrigue... the effect looking at this stuff has on us! So natural yet so unnatural to us.
The Hunterian Museum boasts unrivalled collections of human and non-human anatomical and pathological specimens, models, instruments, painting and sculptures that reveal the art and science of surgery from the 17th century to the present day. Read on to find out about the individual collections’ history, highlights and unique treasures.
The Hunterian Collection
The Hunterian's history
In 1799 the UK government purchased the collection of the surgeon and anatomist John Hunter FRS (1728-1793). It was placed in the care of the Company (later the Royal College) of Surgeons. Hunter's collection of around 15,000 specimens and preparations formed the nucleus of one of the greatest museums of comparative anatomy, pathology, osteology and natural history in the world.
The Hunterian today
The Hunterian Collection today contains approximately 3,500 specimens and preparations from John Hunter's original collection. The collection still includes many of Hunter's most famous specimens, including those showing his successful ligation of the femoral artery for popliteal aneurysm and his experiments on collateral circulation. Other specimens demonstrate Hunter's extensive and varied researches on subjects such as bone growth, transplantation and freemartins.
Many specimens are associated with other significant figures, such as Joseph Banks, who supplied Hunter with many items; King George III and Queen Charlotte, for whom Hunter prepared a selection of specimens for the royal collection at Kew; and Edward Jenner. Also included in the collection is the skeleton of Charles Byrne, the 'Irish Giant'.
The College's Museum Collection also contains about 2,500 specimens acquired after 1799. Many specimens were prepared or collected by the conservators of the museum, such as Richard Owen, John Quekett, William Flower and Arthur Keith.
Other items that are part of this collection and on display in the museum are a set of four anatomical tables prepared for the diarist John Evelyn in Padua in 1646, as well as scientific and surgical instruments belonging to Joseph Lister, one of the pioneers of antiseptic surgery.
Also on show are wax anatomical models prepared by Joseph Towne in the nineteenth century and corrosion casts made by David Tompsett in the 1950s.
New York: Bike the Big Apple
Probably one of my favourite days in New York was the Bike the Big Apple tour, where we traveled round exploring and learning about the different boroughs on our bikes in a small group.
'This special tour starts with a ride through the historic Lower East Side. Once the most densely populated neighborhood in the world(!), it is now a very “in” section with a thriving nightlife, as well as an authentic Soviet era, larger than life, statue of Lenin!
Leaving Manhattan, we dive into the delights offered by the borough of Brooklyn as we pedal over the new Williamsburg Bridge bike path. We enter the "hip," artistic neighborhood of Williamsburg and head to one of the Big Apple's truly underground micro-brewery. Here you can sample its artisinal beers and ale, or stout on tap. (Only our riders aged 21 and older will be allowed to drink. Those under 21 will be forced to thirstily watch!)
Only a short ride away, yet centuries back in time, we pass a Hassidic "shtetl," like that made famous in Fiddler On The Roof. Here the orthodox Jewish population still tries to live as it did before the Holocaust. On this, the Jewish Sabbath, all the businesses are closed as the synagogue becomes the focal point of existence.
As if travelling through time, we pass by the Brooklyn Navy Yard. With almost 200 years of ship building history, this served as the birthplace place of scores of famous ships, from the Fulton Steam Frigate and USS Maine to the USS Constellation and Missouri!
Just a short pedal later, we complete our return to the 21st century, as we enter the now-posh neighborhood of Fort Greene. In its center, we find the pride and joy of the neighborhood, built upon a crypt, holding the remains of Americans who suffered the atrocities of war. From Fort Greene, we enter Dumbo, another fascinating "in" neighborhood of Brooklyn. Here, you’ll experience a classic "only-in-the-Big-Apple" panorama! (see photo below) We head to Jacques Torres Chocolate Shop, run by a pastry chef extraordinaire. Here you can sample his pithiviers, featured recently in The New York Times- or get high on other chocolate delights.
We finally pedal over the Brooklyn Bridge, also on its own bike path. The high here is not merely provided by the altitude, but also by the incredible views of the New York skyline and harbor.'
Leaving Manhattan, we dive into the delights offered by the borough of Brooklyn as we pedal over the new Williamsburg Bridge bike path. We enter the "hip," artistic neighborhood of Williamsburg and head to one of the Big Apple's truly underground micro-brewery. Here you can sample its artisinal beers and ale, or stout on tap. (Only our riders aged 21 and older will be allowed to drink. Those under 21 will be forced to thirstily watch!)
Only a short ride away, yet centuries back in time, we pass a Hassidic "shtetl," like that made famous in Fiddler On The Roof. Here the orthodox Jewish population still tries to live as it did before the Holocaust. On this, the Jewish Sabbath, all the businesses are closed as the synagogue becomes the focal point of existence.
As if travelling through time, we pass by the Brooklyn Navy Yard. With almost 200 years of ship building history, this served as the birthplace place of scores of famous ships, from the Fulton Steam Frigate and USS Maine to the USS Constellation and Missouri!
Just a short pedal later, we complete our return to the 21st century, as we enter the now-posh neighborhood of Fort Greene. In its center, we find the pride and joy of the neighborhood, built upon a crypt, holding the remains of Americans who suffered the atrocities of war. From Fort Greene, we enter Dumbo, another fascinating "in" neighborhood of Brooklyn. Here, you’ll experience a classic "only-in-the-Big-Apple" panorama! (see photo below) We head to Jacques Torres Chocolate Shop, run by a pastry chef extraordinaire. Here you can sample his pithiviers, featured recently in The New York Times- or get high on other chocolate delights.
We finally pedal over the Brooklyn Bridge, also on its own bike path. The high here is not merely provided by the altitude, but also by the incredible views of the New York skyline and harbor.'
New York: City Living
I loved New York but it was a big culture shock when I arrived. Everything was exotic, the weather, the wide roads, even the road crossings and the sirens. I had imagined it more like a bigger, more shiny london, but it was totally foreign apart from the language! The adverts on the tvs in the taxis, the taxi drivers and the taxis themselves! The first couple of hours I felt out of my comfort zone and slightly daunted but soon I began to embrace and love it. In these sketchbook pages I tried to capture the overwhelmed tourist theme... these were mainly based on characters I spotted around the hussle and bussle of Time Square.
I also made it to the top of the Rockefeller Center where the views were absolutely incredible. I saw it in day light and then again in the evening- both were amazing but I did love the contrast of lights at night!
New York: Central Park
I loved Central Park and I was totally overwhelmed by how massive it actually was! When we looked over the city from one of the sky scrapers it was amazing to see it in relation to the rest of the city, just this huge amount of green juxtaposing with the grey surroundings. When we walked through it was so lovely to see kids playing, teenagers chatting and playing frisbee and adults and the elderly going for walks with their dogs etc. It was really inclusive and a really nice escape from the rest of the city. I loved the lake part as well but unfortunately we didn't have the time to go on the pedalos or cycle round the park which we were planning on doing... although it would have taken much longer than we expected due to the sheer size of the park!
In some spots the trees gave way to reveal the city scape which I thought was a really good symbol of NYC - even amongst the serenity of the wildlife you are reminded of the capitalist society New York is built from.
In some spots the trees gave way to reveal the city scape which I thought was a really good symbol of NYC - even amongst the serenity of the wildlife you are reminded of the capitalist society New York is built from.
New York: Gay Pride
During my time in West Village I took part in a demonstration at Stonewall just a few streets away from where I was staying. There was a big crowd and speakers including the mayor, this was the day that the Supreme Court decided, in a 5-4 decision, to strike down bans on gay marriage, making it legal in all 50 US states. Barack Obama decribed the decision as "justice that arrives like a thunderbolt".
Time stated: 'Crowds of people smiling and wiping away tears filled the street outside the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village on Friday, celebrating the Supreme Court’s landmark gay marriage ruling and marveling at how much has changed in the past 50 years.
Time stated: 'Crowds of people smiling and wiping away tears filled the street outside the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village on Friday, celebrating the Supreme Court’s landmark gay marriage ruling and marveling at how much has changed in the past 50 years.
The historic gay bar, which was just granted landmark status this week, was the site of riots in 1969 against police raids, protests that were credited with catalyzing the gay rights movement. On Friday, throngs of couples, families and tourists—gay and straight, young and old—all flocked to that site to pay tribute to the early gay rights pioneers and rejoice in the Supreme Court decision that effectivelylegalized same-sex marriage across all 50 states.'
http://time.com/3937889/stonewall-gay-marriage-celebration/
I loved being there during this celebration and it was a place of love and acceptance you could feel the empowerment in the air and I loved that people of all ages were out celebrating and waving the equal flags.
New York: the High Line
When the elevated freight railway that runs above the west side of Manhattan was built between 1929 and 1934 it became known as the "lifeline of New York" – a gritty industrial artery carrying carcasses into the literally named Meatpacking district.
Eighty years later this stretch of steel and gravel on stilts has become a lifeline of the city all over again, except this time the carcasses that trundle along it are alive, and human. The High Line has been planted with 210 species of trees, shrubs and grasses selected for their native relevance and hardiness.
For an investment of just $115m (£70m) to convert the rusty tracks of the railway into an elegant walkway, the city authorities have attracted an estimated $2bn in private money to the neighbourhood.
While I was visiting I loved how the New Yorkers were making the most of this space by taking a book up, or chatting with friends, sitting on the benches and loungers that bordered the garden path. I really loved this spot for people watching as there was such a huge range of characters there. I especially loved the 'native' New Yorkers such as the man playing steel drums, the volunteer gardeners and the people coming up for a quite moment on their lunch breaks.
Thursday 27 August 2015
New York: Plain Journey
I used the plane journey to record my plain journey to New York; spending time either watching the on flight movies or trying to talk to my sister while she read her book.
On the journey back all I did was listen to Taylor Swifts Red album and sleep... productivity at its peak.
August Art for Arthritis Project: Wedding Portrait
For this brief the client wanted me to create a portrait of her two friends for a wedding present. She asked for it in pencil but was flexible with other media and said about a A4 or smaller so she could frame it. I started off drawing it pencil and then wanted to add some depth so I added a fine black pen line where the shadows were, I then decided the piece needed a bit more life but I still wanted to go for a neutral colour as I wasn't sure on the couples preferences and to be suitable as a wedding gift, so I chose to do the border/background in light blue acrylic paint. I used short brush strokes as I wanted to add some depth/interest in the paintwork.
Tuesday 25 August 2015
August Art for Arthritis Project: Crazy Cat Woman.
For this brief the client wanted me to create a portrait of her and her mother as well as her favourite pictures of her cats (I was sent more than enough reference images :))
I started off by drawing and plotting the layout in pencil.
Then I began painting onto it using water colours, I then added black pen lines and then added highlights in white pen lines. I also added some silver pen to catch the light and add a bit of tacky glamour as I knew the client was going for a comedy effect.
I started off by drawing and plotting the layout in pencil.
Then I began painting onto it using water colours, I then added black pen lines and then added highlights in white pen lines. I also added some silver pen to catch the light and add a bit of tacky glamour as I knew the client was going for a comedy effect.
August Art for Arthritis Project: Sophie's SATC/VS ...Continued
I was really happy with the final outcome for this brief as I had loads of fun with it and had a good amount of freedom to experiment whilst still keeping to a simple basic colour scheme of the complementary colours green and pink and keeping within the clients requests considering media, size and characters.
August Art for Arthritis Project: Sophie's SATC/VS
For this brief the client wanted an illustration of her group of best friends in a fashion illustration style, using water colours and black pen. She wanted it to be like a Sex and the City vibe however was not totally set on this idea as she wanted more than just four people in the image. So I had a think and thought perhaps she would be interested in having a theme like the recent Victoria Secrets catwalk show which starred Taylor Swift singing live for the sound track. I thought I could do the client as Taylor Swift surrounded by her VS models. The client really wanted an over the top glamorous feel with really long legs and loved this idea so I used this as a big influence however I did adapt some of the costumes a bit to make the underwear into more dress-like garments although they were still pretty crazy!
I really enjoyed doing this brief as it was really fun to create these alter-egos for the girls. I used reference images of their faces that I thought fit best into the poses as I had previously arranged the poses before hand on the A3 paper as there were six people to fit on! I drew a simple sketch to layout the different components and proportions first. Once this was done I then used water colour to paint on the colour, and added movement to the garments with brush strokes.
I then added more details and line work with a black fine liner. I also used a silver pen to add a sparkle to the jewelry and to some detailing in the borders and backgrounds of the image.
August Art for Arthritis Project: Princess Leia
For this brief the client wanted a portrait of herself as Princess Leia. She also wanted a few different aspects of star wars incorporated into the scene such as the ewoks, robots (D2r2?!) and it to be based in Endor. With some carefully selected reference images I went about sketching out the layout for the illustration in order to fit in all of these elements. I decided to go for a simple layout with the clients portrait as the foreground, painted with weapon in hand, and a serious but cheeky face. I wanted her to look at the portrait and feel both empowered and be entertained by the comedy element! So I put the ewoks looking ready for battle behind her in the mid-ground and then used the different layers of woods and houses of Endor behind to create the background. I put the robots on one of the houses in the woods... I am not sure if this would be realistic in Starwars or not but it was the perfect position for them haha.
I wanted to create depth but I wasnt too bothered about keeping the background especially neat and tidy so I used simple pen lines for these and did the background woodlands quickly unlike the specific characters that required more attention and detail. I used a technique which I have used loads before of combining water colour and pen lines, this always means I can both capture the abstract shapes and atmosphere/movement/light of the image with colours whilst then adding depth, movement and detail with a fine/thick pen.
I wanted to create depth but I wasnt too bothered about keeping the background especially neat and tidy so I used simple pen lines for these and did the background woodlands quickly unlike the specific characters that required more attention and detail. I used a technique which I have used loads before of combining water colour and pen lines, this always means I can both capture the abstract shapes and atmosphere/movement/light of the image with colours whilst then adding depth, movement and detail with a fine/thick pen.
August Art for Arthritis Project: Surfer Dude
For this brief the client wanted a picture of himself and his surf board. He gave me a reference picture and said he was open to any media or size etc. Because he gave a very generation to my JustGiving page I thought it would be good to do him a painting. I struggled thinking about the best size but I went for an A4 as I thought this would give me enough space to be able to work details in but still small enough for him to put places in his house, he runs his own business so he wanted something he could put up in his office.
I started by sketching basic layout in pencil and then worked into it using acrylic paint, adding more and more detail. I decided not to add pen as I had on previous commissions as I thought this would take away from the relaxed vibe of the painting which fitted well with the content. I was pleased with this painting and I got a really good response from it, I think this was definitely due to spending a lot of time and attention on catching the right atmosphere and likeness of the image using carefully selected colours and brush strokes.
I started by sketching basic layout in pencil and then worked into it using acrylic paint, adding more and more detail. I decided not to add pen as I had on previous commissions as I thought this would take away from the relaxed vibe of the painting which fitted well with the content. I was pleased with this painting and I got a really good response from it, I think this was definitely due to spending a lot of time and attention on catching the right atmosphere and likeness of the image using carefully selected colours and brush strokes.
August Art for Arthritis Project: Boats at the Seaside
For this brief the client wanted two seperate but similar A3 illustrations of a seaside scene based on a reference image. She originally wanted it with inks but I didn't have the combination of colours she wanted so I tried to create a similar effect with watered down acrylic on thick paper but I wasn't very happy with the final effect and I think it would have looked a lot better with either water colours or inks and pen lines. We live and we learn.
Here's a close up of one of the illustrations focusing in on the mid point of the image; the boats:
I suggested personalising the image by adding nicknames of her and her friends to the boats where they usually have a name, she really liked this idea so I added these to the image:
Here's a close up of one of the illustrations focusing in on the mid point of the image; the boats:
I suggested personalising the image by adding nicknames of her and her friends to the boats where they usually have a name, she really liked this idea so I added these to the image:
August Art for Arthritis Project: Couples Holiday Illustration
For this brief the client wanted an illustration of her and her boyfriend to give to him as a present. She wanted it based on their recent holiday and gave me a reference image to work from of them both together. She wanted it on a canvas but had no preferred media, so I chose to use acrylics as I thought this would be the most time efficient and effective on canvas. I started off by drawing the outline in pencil onto the canvas and then went on to paint in the basic colours and then details. I also added a few black and white pen details to refine the image and make the portraits more recognisable.
My Summer August Art for Arthritis Project
During August I decided to take commissions for illustrations... instead of paying me, I decided that the clients could contribute whatever amount they felt appropriate for the artwork to my JustGiving page (Arthritis Research UK)!
Arthritis Research UK is a really important charity as it helps the huge amount of people affected; working to take the pain away and to help people remain active, doing the things they love. In August I had surgery for a rare bone disease I was recently diagnosed with, so I thought while I'm recovering would be the perfect opportunity to get creative and help out a worthy cause (while watching all 6 seasons of Gossip Girl).
The clients just had to let me know what they wanted illustrating, send me any reference pictures if specifically requested and then just describe size and media. They could contact me using Facebook Messenger or by writing a message on my illustration A Wasp in a Wig Facebook page wall.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
For all blog posts follow this link: http://awaspinawig.tumblr.com/tagged/augustartforarthritis
For my JustGiving page follow this link: https://www.justgiving.com/awaspinawig/
Arthritis Research UK: http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/
I also used my various social medias for my illustrations under A Wasp in a Wig to spread the word and get donations and commissions for this project!
Instagram: https://instagram.com/a_wasp_in_a_wig
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Awaspinawig
Monday 24 August 2015
Dissertation Research: Symmetry in Nature
Realism and Abstraction
Realism: Man tries to render the appearance of the things he sees.
Abstraction: Man strives to impose his own mental concepts on the matter.
The Aurignacian Venuses
The work of a civilisation extending along the edge of the northern glaciers from the Gulf of Gascony to the heart of Siberia. They represent the female body. They depict it's appearance but it has been enormously modified by the application of the laws which had manifested themselves in simple decoration.
-the artist developed everything that suggested regularity, symmetry and even geometry.
- the Venus of Lespugue conforms rigorously to the lozenge-shape.
Without ceasing to reflect it's structure the appearance of the human being is organised so as to be doubly symmetrical, both at a vertical and horizontal axis.
My Notes:
- this is probably why magazines photoshop etc an innate want for symmetry
- babies like symmetrical faces
- people are more physically attracted to symmetrical faces
- clothes and design often reflects nature as there's a lot of symmetry in nature (plants and animals) which is pleasing to our eye- contented.
- Wonky things unnerve us. Unstable/something wrong/abnormal.
- 2 eyes, nostrils, sets of teeth, ears, eyelashes, lips, arms, legs- only thing not symmetrical on animals and humans is belly button- because this is where the umbilical tube was - but yet it was almost symmetrical as it is completely central.
- foetus in the womb - meiosis and mitosis of cells - always splitting - symmetry from the beginning.
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