Wirral Metropolitan College

1^st March, 2011.

Well I have been really busy working on my drawing module. I have had a huge development breakthrough!!! I had always thought I would develop into a figurative artist, however the drawing module makes you push the boundaries and explore areas that you would have not considered before. So I had been working in an abstract form, using images of a group of objects photographed and the images were cropped to give close up images. These then were photocopied black n white and colour, and I have been collaging onto 3 d structures, Namely 4 sided pyramids, big un’s.

So now I am an abstract artist!! I have been completely blown away by these objects and my development towards this style has been a bit of a eureka moment. My tutors and other people who have seen my work are impressed by it. So you can imagine I was in a bit of a dilemma. I enjoy my figurative work and the mask theme. But I feel that after the drawing module has been marked and I continue with my core work which is the mask theme and figurative, it will be a backward step. So Hey!! I have changed direction, to one I think is right and I can evolve further.

18^th Feb, 2011.

Well it’s been a while since I last blogged! I have been busy this last month. I have been sketching like mad for my core module. I am continuing the theme on the masks. I have done a few oil and acrylic sketches. Also my drawing module I have gone down the abstract and 3 d route and have really embraced the whole abstract theme! I am now looking to link both my abstract work to the figurative work I am doing in the core module. I have uploaded a few of my initial sketches but will be adding more and then decide on my final pieces for the degree show!

10^th January, 2011.

Well I had a tutorial with Joe, Gutted!! I totally got the wrong end of the stick, I misheard what He wanted me to focus on. I thought when I was focusing on a dialogue, that it would be moving away from my masks, but that wasn’t the case. In a way I am glad, because I had as usual made a big mistake of being too general in my topic, it was not specific enough. I had a lot of sketches and good ideas from them, but it was too generalised! As it was, my assignment for this module is about identifying a topic or theme within my area of research, but that was proving difficult, which another tutor sort of hinted at. Anyway, so I am continuing my theme from last module on the Venice carnival, looking at the time of celebration and free expression throughout society. The masks hide any form of identity. Who is behind the mask? The masks enable the wearer to act more freely. I can relate the concept of the masks to everyday life, as everyone wears a mask of some description to hide their feelings, emotions; they wear a mask in a professional capacity or to interact with different people and family. I will focus on the dialogue between the festival goers. My assignment will be about the concept of masks in art and there meaning, unless I mess it up again and change my mind again! So watch this space.

6^th January, 2011.

This is now my last module, and that is a scary thought! Where have the last 2 and half years gone! I have got 20 weeks or so until the degree show. My topic for this module, after a lot of thought I wanted to slightly shift my topic from masks and identity, to that of a dialogue. I have thought about what happens in social gatherings like pubs and cafes, or even football matches. I want to look at something that tells a story, the unspoken word so to speak. I want to look at the interaction and what captures your attention when you first look upon a scene.

I will start by doing research through my own personal collection of photos, as well as internet research. I will also undertake field research by going to pubs and cafes and do sketches and take photos.

For once I will put all my ideas and sketches down in a book before doing anything else. Then I will paint a selection of some of the sketches on small scale with either water colour or acrylic. Then I will make a selection that tells a narration on a larger scale in oils. That’s the plan anyway. I’d better put the resuscitation equipment in my studio at college, as Joe my tutor may very well have a heart attack If I do what I have actually outlined!!

9^th January, 2011.

Well it has been a couple of days, and I have so far trawled through 25years of photos, looked on the internet. I also went to Liverpool on Friday afternoon gone, I took Alan, we went into some pubs, any excuse! I felt a complete idiot, with the sketch book and camera, but I did it, and got some decent images. I have also filled an a4 sketch book, I have never done that!! I can’t wait to see Joes face on Monday. I have lots of ideas from it, and it will be good to do some small paintings of the sketches.