Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Series Thread
Connie has asked several times for a series arena in which to discuss what's happening with everyone's work, so here it is, start discussing. Remember that our next series crit/discussion is now on June 6, when we will get to see actual work from everyone. Aberlyn and Dani were the only two that had images to sink our teeth into last time, so this next go-around will be a much more chewy discussion with works-in-progress from everyone. Also, don't forget how the series will be assessed: the average of the two highest progress reports. I'm, of course, assuming those will be the last two. OK, Connie, you're on....
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Sorry Connie but I will take the floor first on this discussion...My main problem with my series is that I feel as though it is somewhat scattered. I know what my main idea of my series is and its about my emotion/mental and physical pain of last semester that leads up to this semester. I also know that with each one there will have to be a different kind of emotion or a stronger version of a current emotion. I also have the skeleton in many different poses to help and try to capture a certain feeling or struggle. The back ground will also help I think because of its broken and noisy appearance. Color from the skeleton will also be present in a few areas of background depending on what kind of physical/mental/emotional struggle and where it's location will be. The first of my series is all about my mental struggle with changing my majors. The next three will be about physical pain and will be in a chronological order from small pain to intense pain to a relief from pain. The last piece in the series will be about my close friends and family and how they relate to my emotions and how they make me feel. With the last one I had to use a more symbolic approach to capture what I really wanted and the pose that was chosen for this is somewhat iconic.
ReplyDeleteMy question would be...is that too much to work with idea wise?
Well...when I first saw your series I was already impressed with your work, and you also quickly added that you are a fast worker. So the idea of five pieces isn't to much to handle. My main concern would be that you might lose sight of some major editing when working on such a large series. When you already know what you want to do, other intimate things might get pushed aside. This all being said, I am confident in your abilities to get all five finished. Just make sure you give yourself enough time for personal reflection.
ReplyDeleteDani your pieces are already pretty unified visually as a series. You don't need to worry about being scattered. They will stand alone as nice images and a nice series. I think the personal aspects that you call scattered are just that, personal. They put something of you in the drawings and make them better art in my opinion. Working on them in groups will probably keep them related visually.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of work to do on mine. I settled on my format and I'm drawing like mad. Each piece is 2 feet by 4 feet hardboard. I found some nice primer that I tinted with acrylic paint. Gesso had a tendency to crack and chip on the board. I have 3 of my 6 boards primed and in the works. I will see how three are working before I start more.
Dani, I agree with Veronica and Shawn, your ideas don't sound scattered, but then reinforcing what Veraonica said, leave yourself enough time to reflect on the process (the physical, mental, and emotional) and how it lends to the ideas. If you become aware of something you had not intended, be open to pursuing it even if it feels like too much of a change. Your process (including mark making, textures, skeleton, palette) will unify the series even with changes or expansions to your original idea.
ReplyDeleteVeronica, hope your's is going well.
Shawn, sounds like you have a good start on things. I'm sure you're glad that the weather is now cooperating with you. Looking forward to seeing the pieces-in-progress.
Thank you for the tread Brian. :) I'll post more later or tomorrow. I've got some kinda bug that's kicking my BUTT at the moment. But, I may be starting all over again! :) Same subject, different medium.
ReplyDeleteMy series is going pretty slowly. I have right now three pieces in the works. The first is a wire/graphite rendition of a molecule. I am using 18"X24" birch plywood panels that are gessoed I have mapped out what I want to do but I am still leery on the final placement of the wires. The second I wanted to use continuous thread to show value. My first attempt was using black nylon thread but my practice pieces look like weird hair patches. Any ideas on what type of material I should use? The third is going to be dots (thinking of using a black background with white and grey circles to show the human body or skeleton. If I get these three finished I would like to make a forth piece with components of electronics and create an image that blends nature with technology. That piece is just imagined right now since I don’t have any of the materials on hand to see how that would play out.
ReplyDeleteVeronica, what type of thickness are you using as the black nylon and would you be willing to go thicker so that you have more sturdier material?
ReplyDeleteOK, I'm on the THIRD version and I think I hit pay dirt. :)
ReplyDeleteVeronica, I think we'll have to see it on Monday to get a good sense of what you're going after. It sounds like the nylon isn't doing what you wanted and Dani has suggested something sturdier, but if you're wanting something that's less like weird hair patches, what about staying with the wire if it worked OK in the first? There's lots of different types of wire from thin to thick and its continual use might open up some other possibilities. You might also look up the drawings I mentioned by Mia Linn. She used pins, lots of them, to create her "drawings".
ReplyDeleteConnie, third version of what?
By sturdier I mean thin wire....like gardening wire
ReplyDeleteLol o just totally skipped what brain said and restated the wire thing haha
ReplyDeleteDon't ask! That didn't work either. It's just gonna be what it's gonna be at this point in time. I quit! I can't quite describe what I want and everything I've tried does not seem to work. It's one of those things I can just see. Thus, it's gonna be what it is! :(
ReplyDeleteAnd Danielle, you didn't SKIP what Brian said. We would NEVER do that. You were reinforcing it! :)
ReplyDeleteLol Connie. What is wrong on your side Connie, is it the board or the drawing media?
ReplyDeleteIf this weren't a summer class I would chuck the whole damn thing and start over. It's just not doing what I envisioned. I've tried cloth, wood and a combination of both. Then I tried using tracing paper for the opacity factor. That doesn't work. Now I'm back to wood and simply need to lock into it and accept I won't get what I want from it. :(
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I've tried just about everything but graphite and charcoal in my bag as far as medium. I've even used water colors on it.
Maybe you should get your concept on paper and experiment with materials some other time. Is there a way you can keep your concept with opague paper? Focus on the drawing not materials. You can draw something beautiful with a rusty nail and plywood.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm OK with it being what it is. That's what I've decided basically. I'm going to run with what I have the remaining time we have. It will be what it is and it may not be my favorite but I'm still learning with each step so I'm OK with that. I would prefer to have captured what I intended but it may end up a happy accident or just a learning experience. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, you get what you get tomorrow. I've tested every media I can think of and my budget only goes so far. Either some suggestions will happen or it's just gonna be a whatever semester. YEP! I'm totally frustrated with this series. In all honesty when the semester is over I'm suspecting these are gonna hit the fire pit.
ReplyDeleteIt's a tough road filled with all kinds of obstacles when creating a series in six weeks with media you've never used. I would think that the last two visiting artists would have sparked some notions about translucent materials, such as tracing paper and frosted mylar. But if your process didn't work with those materials, then make the best out of the materials that you know and that you're confident using. Maybe the idea didn't really need to be on a translucent surface in the first place, and you've now made that discovery. One of many, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteNotice the visiting artists also mentioned experimenting with new materials between deadlines. Create a fallback plan.
ReplyDeleteI know that this week is crunch time with the series and I hope everyone the best with theirs. From what I saw at the crit. I was excited about seeing how everyone was progressing and I am so excited to see all finished works on Monday and Tuesday. I know they will look great and that you put a lot of effort into them. Good luck and see you all in the last 3 days of class
ReplyDelete