Packing from a parcel had a wonderful texture. I reminded me of coconut matting and I used it to to describe a wrapped form. Its only small but is a very tactile and interesting piece of work.
Kathryn Raffell, 2015, Untitled, Cardboard, 60cmx10cm dia.
Having re-primed the canvas I have an idea that I will paint a female figure that is “wrapped” in clothing
Re Think
I researched on the web, in magazines and books and have come up with several images that I will mix together to make my new piece of work. It will be a reclining female wearing a silk patterned kimono and the background will be an animal skin print pattern.
An artist called Yayoi Kusama makes wonderful paintings of colourful spots that gave me the idea for the background and building on this to base an idea.
This is a photograph of Yayoi Kusama with one of her pieces in the background. The image was taken from:-
http://www.pictured.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Yayoi-Kusama-00.jpg
Over the summer break I decided to make and paint a large canvas (1.8×1.2m). I researched for my dissertation the work of past old masters and in particular a painting by Velasquez.
Diego Velasquez, Rokeby Venus, c. 1647–51. 122cm x 177cm (48in x 49.7in). National Gallery, London.
Jenny Saville, (2013-14), Olympia, Charcoal and oil on canvas, 217x290cm, shown at the Gagosian Gallery in July 2014.
I studied and researched the Velasquez and Saville work and then used them to make my own work.
Kathryn Raffell, 2014, Venus meets Olympia, Acrylic on canvas, 180cmx120cm.
The change of scale brought new challenges, using larger brushes and mixing bigger quantities of paint was so different to what I was used to.
I previewed the work every few days and changed parts I thought didn’t work. However, it didn’t matter how many times I repainted or changed the colours and shading I couldn’t make it work so in the end I decided to paint over it and start again with a new idea. It was not time or materials wasted as I gained a lot of experience in painting techniques that need to be used with work on a larger scale and I can take these lessons I learnt into my next piece of work.
I have wrapped this idea under a new primed layer that will be the foundation of new work.
Investigating the shape of the body and its surroundings using only black and white oil paint was a real challenge. I found the extra life painting classes at uni a great opportunity of improving my painting technique.
Kathryn Raffell, 2015, Untitled, oil on canvas, 25cmx30cm.
This is my first painting of Blue that I felt captured a likeness of her. Needs more work on her arms as they are a bit thin.
