Studies with OUA

Previously I have been studying a Internet Studies degree through Curtin. Having had the last study period off, I now need to do at least 2 units this study period. Consequently, I have enrolled in VIS-15 Photography: an introduction, for SP2. This unit is through RMIT, and I've heard it is a great unit to do. Below is the blurb for it on the Open Universities Australia site.

This unit approaches photography firstly as a unique approach to human communication, secondly as an art form, and thirdly as a medium, which requires the acquisition of a unique set of technical skills. You will be introduced to basic mechanical principles of the camera. You will see how photography has been influenced by a growing understanding of the principles of human perception and communication. You will be provided with techniques for responding to the content and structure of photographs. You will need to have a basic understanding of photography and have access to either a compact - 'point and shoot' camera, a SLR 35mm camera or a digital camera.

I'm also enrolled in NED12, which is another, more advanced unit of CSS & XHTML. I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

Art Theory & Practice - Lino cut portrait

I started fiddling with an old photo in Photoshop and came up with something that I will use as the basis of the design for the required Lino cut portrait. We were required to do a proper process, however I haven't been as exact as I should have been.

I have decided to do several projects for VACC on Michael, my eldest son. He turns 16 soon and he has always taken up more attention than his little brother. I expect it is because he is the first and the eldest. I think I need to express some of my feelings, emotions regarding Michael and doing it through several art projects isn't a bad way to do so. The photo that I'm using for this lino cut design is of him at approx 2 1/2. It was at this age I started to notice some of his more unusual behaviours. This is where I will start my projects.

Printmaking with Helen - Artists books

The previous week Helen told us that we would be making "Artist Books". I don't think any of us really understood what she meant, tho. Below is the printing for mine and the end result should follow soon.


As you can see I used my relief block "Waves", my collograph "Blossoms" some string and a leaf. This will be the cover.

This is the pages of the book.
The greens are created using Faust AquaLine Inks and Yellow Ochre Oil based ink.





These will be used for the covers. The lighter print for the outside cover and the deeper toned print for the inside cover. I used some torn cardboard to create the bird shapes and my collograph block "Knit".

Oil based Heidelberg inks of Ultramarine, black, red and Yellow ochre were used.



The paper for the covers was simply some mottled inkjet printing paper. The paper used for the pages was a very light Japanese paper.

All this meant that I've just gone off and bought some really nice paper from Neil's in Fitzroy and some wrapping paper from Ikea which has some interesting paper.

Drawing with Andrew - Something

I'm coming to enjoy Andrew's classes. I don't know if he has taught before, but he is certainly warming to the task.


This is a enlarged photocopy of a quick ink drawing I did and then coloured with watercolours. The photocopy paper was very shiny and the paint beaded on the hatching which gave it a good effect.

In this class I did some contour drawing in oil crayon.


This pic is one with wet on dry colouring.
I drew this one in different coloured crayons. I think the vase and blanket are better in this one.


This pic is wet on wet colouring. I prefer the thistles in this one, however the pillow, blanket and vase aren't as good.

Painting with Pi

Well this week was just a waste of time. I'm seriously thinking of giving up the painting subject.

Printmaking with Helen - Collographs

On the last day we had printmaking, Helen told us we would be expected to have two collographs ready for our next session of printmaking in several weeks time.

Well that day has arrived. Below are the collographs I created. Not all are exactly collographs, but are useful anyway.


This was printed waves first in Ultramarine Blue. Yuk! with the fish overprinted in black. After seeing the blue this lead me to creating a nice indigo blue to continue my printing. The following prints were in indigo.








"Waves"
A relief block carved from cardboard and sealed in shellac.


After the previous effort in the bright blue I started experimenting. This is the first indigo print. The resulting print on the left, which I think is far more pleasing.






"Fish"
I never made another relief print of the fish, however below is an example of some rollings that I did.


Rolling of the fish relief block in a nice murky green.










"Blossom"
This collograph, as with the one directly below, is a Japanese quilting pattern. It is constructed with 120g cardboard glue to a heavier base cardboard and then sealed with shellac.


The resulting print.


And another.











"Arches"

This could easily have been left as a stencil.

"Knit"
This collograph is threaded cardboard glued onto a base and sealed with shellac.

I later used this when making an Artist Book. See a later post.

Drawing with Andrew - Perspective

This week Andrew introduced perspective to the class. It was to bad for me, and covered old ground and so was a good refresher.

After explaining perspective and taking notes, Andrew took us up to the top floor of the building to do a perspective drawings.


I wasn't too displeased with the results. The cabinet on the right is off, but it wasn't flush with the wall either. The closest end was about an extra foot away from the wall, and that was what I was trying to show, but it just looks wrong.

Painting with Pi - week 4

Well this week Pi finally decided to show us some different techniques. She decided on pointillism and long strokes.

I hated pointillism when I studied it twenty odd years ago and I still hate it. After looking at my vase she dismissed it as a dot painting and didn't bother to add any constructive criticism on how I could improve my technique.

I later overheard her say, well she's never taught before and didn't really know what she was doing. That's been obvious to the students since the second class.


My pointillism vase. blurg




My pear.

Art Theory & Practice

I've missed several of Beverley's classes because of my new job.

My knowledge of what we're meant to do is a little scatty. We have been given a project to do. A design process for a lino portrait. I'll look at some photos of the boys. They are central to my life and have been, particularly since I became a single parent.

I think this will be a good starting point. All art is an expression of some sort. I need a theme to focus on. I think that is what she's been on about. I've struggled with sitting in class as I find this sort of thing annoying. It is a good discipline though, and I shouldn't be quite so surly as I have been at times. I must be channelling my inner teenager.

Creating collographs

On Thursday, a couple of the girls and I got together at school to create some collographs and practice a little printmaking.

I have concentrated on creating collographs in a stencil style for practice, as well as using some leaves if dried that morning in the oven. I dried them flat between 2 sheets of grease prove paper and weighted them with some baking tins. Ultimately I didn't use them for printing as they were to brittle to use even after coating them with shellac. On the left is a scan of one of them.

I recently bought some Faust Aqualine Inks, which are easily cleaned up in water, so we used them. We all forgot to bring any paper for printing.

Art pathways

I've missed at least two weeks of classes, but don't seem to be to far behind.

1. Sculpture - We're modelling a foot, which won't be fired, and are required to carve a base for it out of plaster. My foot is still in the boot of my car, where it's been since we started and I haven't even started a plaster base for it. What it has sparked is an idea to do a plaque and get a hebel block to do some carving.
2. Drawing - I'm not sure what I missed in drawing, however when I managed to get back to class just before the Easter break we did a class on perspective in drawing that brought a lot.
3. Painting - I still haven't done any practice in painting, I did however do my two colour studies, of pumpkins.
4. Art Theory & Practice - Schmoozle.
5. Printmaking - This friday we will be expected to have 2 collographs ready. One for a background and another for an overprint. Helen, our teacher, is great and we always get to roll up our sleeves and do something. Below is a scan of one I started in class.
   

Creative writing

I decided that creative writing is not for me at the moment. I really need to concentrate on academic style writing which will do me more good, particularly as I'm studying a BA in Internet studies.

I will continue to do my Art Pathways course which I'm enjoying. Unfortunately, some of the teachers seem disorganised, which is frustrating.

Printmaking - Stencils - Week 2

We covered stencils as well this week.

We used waxed milk cartoon to make the stencils. I quickly cut out this image, and placed the paper directly onto the table I was using. It is an old table, badly scarred, with flaking varnish etc. This showed up on the print. A happy accident.

The following are a few experiements using the stencil and cutout from it.

A red and yellow rainbow background with image printed over it.

A darker orange background with black image printed over. Another print with a little transparent gold would be nice.

A rough black background with red-orange image on top.

Printmaking - Relief block - Week 2

We covered more contour drawing as well as creating disposable printblocks using the black meat trays made from styrofoam, as well as stencils. Below are a couple of my prints.


I quickly did a contour drawing of a filing cabinet in the corner of the room. As you can see, when you look at the next image, not all the details showed up. We are still using a barren, as we don't have a press.


Most of the other students seem to pull something out of their imaginations. I prefer to use what I see around me.


Here you can see I started to use a rainbow roller. Even though I didn't have a good coverage of ink on the roller, resulting in a grainy look, more detail showed up, if you look at the bottom of the image the comb marks show far more clearly.



Still a little grainy, but this is the image I prefer. I used another colour combination rainbow roller. The darker colour is where it should be and I am happier with this.

Creative Writing - Week 2

Japanese poetry