Since my last post I have done quite a lot. Below are some lithographic prints of experiments with tusche washes. While speaking to someone about this process we were discussing how it is interesting that in a basic drawing class the instructor often times has you create a gradiation scale as an exercise to learn how to control and apply pressure to get different tones. Exercises like those would be very useful for lithography, however, since the process can be time consuming, most people would be unsatisfied with the effort put in versus the end result of not having a "finished" piece of work. Tusche washes are very hard to manipulate and control. When I saw examples of the washes in a book I bought, Tamarind Techniques for Fine Art Lithography, I wanted to experiment and try to create those interesting textures. I find the process fascinating because the treatment and actual "drawing" process is done on a limestone, not on paper. The stone is treated with certain chemicals after you're done with your image, and with tusche washes you can never be exactly sure, unless you've become a master, how they will turn out. The thought of a surprise always interests me because unpredictability can be fascinating. Some of the lithographic process seemed sort of similar to ceramics. For example, after you put something in the kiln to be fired, you don't know what to expect when you're ready to unload the kiln. Anyway, the following prints were just some experiments. I also used different paper in order to learn about how the ink interacts with the paper as well as interaction with the image itself.
I titled these "Exposure Therapy." The season and weather was changing and my body strongly dislikes being cold. I would usually work in front of a window in the studio because I liked the natural light and enjoyed looking outside. The trees were losing leaves and my mind interprets that as a symbol of winter and cold weather.
The following prints were my last ones. They didn't turn out as planned, but I had a mishap that made me immobile for a week. I was cooking, after not sleeping for 24 hours, and I spilled hot oil on my foot. It ended up getting infected and I had to keep it elevated for almost a week, which was one of the last weeks of school. I missed a lot of studio time, so these images were rushed. I wasn't careful enough with the washes, and my instructor believes that I didn't apply my etching solution long enough. (Something that is done during the process in order to make your stone reception to ink where it needs to be, and non reception where ink should not go.) It would be easy to have been mad/upset over this, but seeing how I have little experience in this area it would be a waste of energy to have been upset.
"Trianon of Garlic" is actually in a gallery at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC right now. That one was probably my favorite. I actually drew that right onto my stone from life, instead of using a picture or using a previous drawing. Drawing from life onto the stone was challenging because it is difficult to "erase" mistakes, so you have to just make it work.
My last assignments for my drawing class were self portraits. I do not care to show the first one because it is not good. I struggle drawing my face and always give myself a long nose for some reason. For the second one I had to draw myself in a specific time period, so I chose the 80's. The Beastie Boys are one of my favorite musical artists and my drawing reflects inspiration from their interesting camera angles they often use. I was in the middle of working on this when my foot injury got worse. It was a last minute decision to add in the Beastie Boys. My face could use more work but it got to the point where I didn't want to over work it and I realized it was a better decision to stop rather then continue in confusion and frustration. The piece just makes me laugh.
Currently I am taking another drawing class, metal sculpture, research methods in psychology, intro to clinical psychology, American art history, ballet and jazz.
I am working on my first sculpture for metal sculpture and don't have pictures yet, except for a picture of the first day I practiced some welding.
In my drawing class the instructor is trying to teach us how to understand space and learn how to imagine space in order to be able to execute perspective accurately. For the past few weeks the in class set up has just been plotting points of intersecting objects in the still life on our paper that we gridded out with in 2 in squares.
The homework has been about the same concept. We had to make a square space on our paper that is 18x18inches in perspective and find an object under 6 inches to draw in our space in perspective, at 5 different places. It has all been very methodically. At first I wanted to resist this exercise because it felt more like drafting and I feel like I understand concepts of perspective. The process of learning what was intended for this exercise was weird at first because I didn't look at it in the same way as something that I already know. It is a very similar idea to ask someone to explain how to do something that they do naturally or automatically or try to teach someone a specific method of doing something they already do. It is almost like back tracking but not necessarily because there are still a lot of things to learn on the way.
For the following week we had to add draw our object 5 more times and have it overlap at least once. I tried to play with the space a little bit more and attempted to draw my object at weird angles, but realized/remembered that I couldn't do that within the parameters of a one point perspective drawing.
I have a large inability to focus and pay attention because I am very restless. My process, as well as learning my process, has helped me learn how to work with my A.D.D. and not resist or reject what can sometimes be a shortcoming. My large work load helps me use my restlessness efficiently in a way that allows me to explore. I love being active in art, psychology, and dance because I am able to see and experience actual applications of concepts in various settings.
No comments:
Post a Comment