First session of making my mock final piece

In my first session, I planned to cut the Tyvek to size and assemble it around the hoops by creating a channel for them to be fed through to create a sleeker finish. However, after the Tyvek delivery being late by days, I was not able to do this and so I had to start another part of m final piece- the watered-down acrylic paint onto acetate. I will be able to do the rest of the installation when the Tyvek gets delivered and I will continue to work in my sketchbook in the mean time. Working onto the acetate meant that I could make a start on my final piece but will have to put the rest of it on hold whilst the Tyvek is being delivered.

So, I mixed blue, purple and orange paint into pots which contained a small amount of water in them. I poured each colour onto the sheet of A4 acetate in small doses. I then brought these three colours together on the sheet by using string to manipulate them. This allowed them to mix slightly on the acetate whilst still remaining their original colour too in most areas. I wasn't aiming to reach a realistic outcome, I was aiming to create a sense of movement in my work and so I dragged the paint with the string making circular motions. By creating a sense of movement, I am reflecting how escapism can take place in the form of activities such as exercise or expression through art. Additionally, in places where the paint is in small quantities, I have made finer marks which reflect a subtle movement within the façade which reveals how the tiniest of events can alter he individuals' ability to maintain the upkeep of the façade. Furthermore, I have varied the densities of paint throughout the composition which represents how an individual chooses how much information they reveal about themselves due to some parts being translucent and some opaque. It also emphasises how there are sections of emotion that are completely hidden, whereas some emotion the individual doesn't mind unmasking. The bright colour palette that I have used shows how an individual wishes for them to be perceived by others, as vibrant and content. The translucency of the paint on the acetate promotes how this outside persona is extremely fragile and is ever-changing due to the fluid nature of the composition. I have extended this concept of altering the composition's density by layering them when they are dry to create an almost smoky effect which reminds me of the term 'smoke and mirrors' which reflects how a depressed individual is upholding a façade and that their persona is all tricks which outsiders believe.
I am going to suspend three of these layered compositions from the ceiling in front of the textural part of my final piece. These will be arranged, as if from a bird's eye view, in a triangle shape so that there is a balance in my final piece which also reflects how a façade is maintained. These are going to be suspended with see-through string and so they will be easy to move which will accentuate the idea of fragility. It will especially move when people walk through it and when there is a draft of air so it will almost be constantly swinging in the air which adds to the idea of a façade being unstable and easily affected by events that are happening around.

Working onto Tyvek

To extend the textural work that I have been doing, I needed to refine the material that I had been working onto to be able to make my final piece become an installation. I thought that using paper wouldn't be suitable as it isn't very strong and could easily tear if I stuck an abundance of layers onto it too. I also looked at working onto cotton drill as this fabric is strong and would be easy to mould around the hoop. However, I felt like this was only providing me with practicality, but I need to use something practical that is also going to create an interesting texture as the cotton drill is quite soft and so contrasts the overall distressed mood that I would be layering onto it. And so, after making my way through that, I began to experiment using a material called Tyvek which is somewhat of a half-way house between paper and fabric. The beauty of Tyvek is that it is malleable and so can be moulded to be in a round shape, but I can also heat it to create a rough texture which sets hard and so adds to the idea of a fixed mind set. I found that Tyvek is relatively easy to work with if I go through the correct stages to reach the desired end result. By going through the following experiments, I learned how best to use Tyvek to accentuate my textural work.


I started by collaging materials that I have been using, newspaper and my own photographs onto the Tyvek, sticking them down with PVA glue. I heated the Tyvek from the front (the side with the collage on) but I found that because the layering was quite thick, the heat wasn't getting to the Tyvek well enough to create any sort of effect. like bubbling. Therefore, I turned it over and heated directly onto the Tyvek which began to form an interesting texture, making holes and rough nodules in the Tyvek. This texture would really accentuate the theme of hopelessness and depression that I am trying to convey through my textural work as it looks distressed. However, because I had to heat from the back, the desired sections of newspaper and photographs were not showing through and so I was left with yellow throughout the composition which juxtaposes my theme of sadness due to its happy connotations.This therefore contrasts two opposing emotions in the same composition which I am not going to be doing in my final piece, as I am keeping juxtaposing ideas separate to one another to really emphasise the contrast between depression and escapism.  From this experiment, I did get to see how the newspaper would appear when I burnt through the Tyvek and so I can now see how it adds to the composition. However, I would like to have more tonal representation in my next compositions. Also, this composition lacks any element of line and so am going to add some marks that are influenced by Mark Tobey. The shape that the burnt holes create in the Tyvek are quite difficult to control but I like the sporadic nature of these as it reflects an erratic mind frame. Therefore I am going to continue with making holes in the Tyvek as well as heating small bumps into it. Overall, I dislike this experiment as my theme is not clear due to the confusion between colours and texture and so, going forward, I needed to think about the placement of the materials that I was using in order to get my desired effect.


For my next experiments I have lay the newspaper and my own black and white photographs face down so that when I heat the Tyvek, the desired parts show through. As I have been using charcoal throughout my work, I have made Tobey-like marks on the front of the Tyvek to allow me to add dark, rough textures. After heating, this means that the composition is overall dark as opposed to when I didn't add any charcoal, it was white. Therefore, the charcoal is building the idea of a Kafkaesque state due to it being black. When I heated the front for a while, holes formed in the Tyvek to reveal the newspaper and photographs underneath which almost give an insight into the individual's past experiences which have culminated to bring on their depression. This concept is something that really contributes to how I am going to show the difference between what goes on inside someone's head and how they portray themselves to the outside world. Along with this, when I heated the Tyvek for a small amount of time, it created breaks in the charcoal which look speckled, this gives the composition a hazy feel and could present how past memories are hazy and how the negative ones stick with the individual , which is causing their depression. A rough, bobbled effect is also formed when I only use the heat gun for a short amount of time which further accentuates the tough time that the individual is going through. Once the Tyvek has been heated, it sets hard and so it looks intriguing to touch due to its unusual texture and it's 3D nature. Therefore, if viewers decide to touch it, it adds to the experience of feeling in a bad place as they will find out that it feels spiky and sharp. This reflects the element of danger within not seeking help if you have a mental illness and so I am going to select this material to work onto in my final piece due to all the reasons I have discussed above. I have also tried adding red chalk to the Tyvek, however at the moment I am undecided if adding this colour is effective in representing my theme. Red has connotations of danger and rampage which are relevant emotions, but I think that as a singular composition, this works, however when brought together with my colourful work, I think there will be too much colour going on throughout the installation, instead of there being a harsh divide.

Final outcome - Idea 2

Developing my final outcome idea,  I have decided that I want to change the shape of its structure to make the large piece interactive. I feel that it needs to be interactive due to its size and also how my theme revolves around an isolated individual and how others see them. Therefore, I want the viewers to be able to connect with how the individual is feeling when they see my artwork. To do this, I want to make my final outcome cylindrical to create a cocoon that the individual lives in. Whilst still keeping the back and sides textural and dark, I will take a section out the front so that I can put my acetate responses at the front in representation of the façade. To make the cylinder I have purchased two large weighted hula hoops that have to be fitted together so that it is strong enough to hold the fabric that I will fix to it. I have bought two so that one will go at the top and one at the bottom so that a cylindrical shape is maintained all the way down. As the hula hoops come in pieces, it means that I can leave some pieces missing so that there is an opening at the front. I am going to use fabric to connect the hoops together and this is what I will work onto. I have experimented using cotton drill, but am yet to experiment using Tyvek. I will fold top and bottom of the fabric and stitch it together so that a hole is formed at each end so that I can thread the hula hoops through to cover them. Furthermore, I did think about joining the sides of the cylinder together by attaching the acetate to each side and creating a flat surface to create a screen for the viewer to look through. I decided against this as I think that doing so would make the composition look too complex in terms of flat and curved sides. So, my next idea was to bend the acetate so that it curved to the same degree that the cylinder did, but I also didn't like this idea as it would've meant that the room lighting would reflect off it at angles that I wouldn't want. Plus, as I am going to work on a large scale, I wouldn't be able to use acetate as it comes in sheets that aren't big enough and so I would need to find a transparent medium that is easily malleable to work on. 

Then I came back to the drawing board and focussed on the word I mentioned earlier 'interactive', and thought, what if I make the viewer become the individual that is experiencing a Kafkaesque state - this was what sparked my final idea. So, taking advantage of the cylindrical shape that I have decided to use, I want to plant the viewer of my artwork right in the centre of the structure so that they can immerse themselves within the individual's emotions. This means that I will have to open up the front section so that people can walk in and out of the centre. I will also make the cylinder just big enough to fit one person in so that they experience it by themselves without influence from others. I think that if it was wise enough to fit a group in then it could be interpreted that my theme is based on wider societal issues rather than about an individual. To incorporate the aspect of there being a façade, I will suspend pieces of acetate from the ceiling so that this element is still present. Hanging the acetate with watered-down acrylic paint on in sections allows the fragility of a façade to be more obvious rather than using just one screen. I will position these pieces so they hang symmetrically as I believe this will give the composition balance and also this will make it easier for people to walk into the centre. In regards to the shape of the pieces, I haven't decided what shape I am going to cut the acetate yet. This is because I am stuck between two ideas: 1) having them curved to accentuate the fluidity and the longevity of the upkeep of a façade or 2) having them square to represent how a façade can become fragmented. As the acetate will be able to be moved, this demonstrates how outside factors can cause a shift or a hole in someone's façade to catch a glimpse of what is really going on inside someone's life.

This way I can capture all the aspects of a façade that I have been exploring throughout my sketchbooks; escapism, fragility and maintenance. 

Diagram of my final outcome idea

In terms of size, as this is all to do with what is going on in the mind, I thought that I could make it face length so that only the head is inside the composition to emphasise the concept of depression being internal. However, people are different heights and if so for this to work, the height of the composition would have to be able to be adjusted. Now, I could attach the whole thing to rope that is on a hook and stand there and adjust it manually, but I don't want to interfere with their experience with my work and sway their outlook on my chosen concept. Adjusting the height would take too much attention away from what is at hand and give a chaotic feel to the experience as a whole. As I want the viewer to have a raw experience that is personal to them, I am going to make the composition long enough so that the majority of people would be able to stand inside and be immersed within the piece. This means that I can incorporate all people and portray how everyone is susceptible to a Kafkaesque state and can experience times like this. 

Final outcome - Idea 1

For my final outcome I have been thinking about ways that I can combine all three of my artist influences, along with my theme of Kafkaesque and depression vs. escapism and façade. I want to portray the juxtaposition between these concepts using my artwork to display the issues that a person has and how they deal with it.
I had an idea to build a large scale piece so that it is the height of a person - as this is what my theme revolves around, the individual. Focussing on trying to emphasise the juxtaposition between my concepts, I thought that I could take influence from the work that I have been doing based on layering, and layer my bright, escapist work over the dark, depressed textural compositions that I had been completing. However, I want to make my final outcome more interactive, so I thought about making a large square structure so that it appears more interesting as it is 3D, rather than opting to work on 2D like a canvas. The two sides and the back of the structure would be include my gloomy responses on a larger scale on the inside. I would restrict my work to being on the inside of the structure to reflect how these are emotions that are going on inside someone's head and to reflect that they are personal to that individual. I have chosen to make the majority of the composition include the darker work that I had been doing to present that these negative thoughts are consuming most of the individual's time and to portray how this is a big aspect of that person's life. I want to show to my viewer that you don't always know what is going on inside someone's head and that you shouldn't be quick to jump to conclusions. As I am working in the genre of abstract expressionism, I think that this will allow the viewer to stand back and think about what my final outcome is representing as it isn't entirely obvious due to it not being figurative.
So after having thought about representing Kafkaesque and depression, I moved onto how I could represent the theme of escapism and façade. To do this, I would focus the front section of the square structure around these two concepts. By making this side the front section, I am trying to convey that others only see what that individual wants them to see when it comes to their emotions surrounding personal issues. I want to use the work I have been doing using watered-down acrylic paint as this portrays how someone tries to escape negativity with exploration and discovering new hobbies. As the product of the soak-stain technique is fluid and interlocking, the colours mixing together reflect how a façade is built in different sections as that person learns what is easy enough to do for them to be able to sustain their bright persona to the outside world. After working onto acetate, this allows me to accentuate the presence of a façade as when watered-down acrylic paint is poured onto it, they appear translucent. However, if I was to work on a large scale I would need to work onto a material that was thick enough to stand up without collapsing, so I could use Perspex as this is more sturdy that acetate. Using this would allow the other three parts of the structure that are beyond the front section to be seen, but only with limited effect due to it being translucent and not transparent.

I then made a small-scale model version of what I wanted my final outcome to look like:

This is a photograph of the finished product of the model of my final outcome. As I have explained above, the sides and the back are covered in the textural work that I had been doing in my sketchbook. These a mixed media pieces which create a busy, confused and dark emotion when used together. I have layered newspaper, textured wallpaper, magazine and my own photographs which I have torn to create a rough texture along with a disjointed feel to represent fragmented thoughts. 

 Furthermore, I have added vast amounts of charcoal to build dark tone on each side to reflect the internal mood of an individual. As charcoal is a soft medium, I have been able to blend it easily to create specific areas of dark tone. As well as this, as I made this model out of corrugated cardboard, the charcoal has picked up on the texture of it and therefore created horizontal lines across each side. I did not intend this to happen, however I had been using textured wallpaper in my sketchbook to rub charcoal onto and so the idea of horizontal lines representing depression never ending is still being conveyed through this model even if I did not intend it to. On the side at the back I have stuck a colour copy of one of my photographs, although this includes context in terms of my experiences, I think that I should've used a copy that was in black and white. This is because this would create more of a contrast between the Kafkaesque state and the façade and so would make the juxtaposition easier to be seen by the viewer. Keeping the photograph in colour makes the back section have a hint of happiness, whereas if I used a black and white copy it would emphasise the dull mood and add more tone.

When looking at the model for my final outcome, I noticed that, because of the acrylic paint being watered-down, the bright colours weren't attracting enough attention like they normally would if the paint was used in its usual consistency. However, after experimenting with thick acrylic paint onto acetate (in my sketchbook), I knew that doing this wouldn't create the fluid effect that I wanted. So instead, to combat my issue with the vibrancy of the paint, I started putting light (with a torch) behind the front section to see if this made the colours more noticeable. This did make the colour and the marks of the paint more prominent and focusses the attention onto the façade. This focus is important as an individual who is experiencing this Kafkaesque state wants others to only see the façade that they have built and to keep their inside emotions private. Using a light source accentuates this concept and makes it more difficult to see the darker inside without completely stopping the viewer from doing so.

Close up of the light shining behind the acetate.

Using watered-down acrylic onto acetate

After doing a selotape transfer of an image in my sketchbook responding to Chila Burman, I found that I wanted to extend this idea of creating a translucent façade that a person has. As I am looking at the theme of escapism in regards to an individual withdrawing themselves from a Kafkaesque state, I wanted to incorporate Helen Frankenthaler's soak-stain technique that I had previously been using to accentuate the concept of upholding a façade. Looking at escapism allows the viewer to see how an individual does want to break free from a Kaftkaesque state. I chose to work onto acetate as this is transparent and would allow me to create a translucent piece of artwork to represent the fragility of a façade and how difficult it is to maintain one. This would allow me to juxtapose my two themes; Kafkaesque and escapism, perhaps by overlapping the different styles I have been working in to create a juxtaposition between concepts.

I began experimenting using this technique onto acetate at home, but when I added the watered-down acrylic, I thought that due to its thin consistency, it wouldn't soak into the acetate because it has a plastic finish. I completed two experiments like this and then moved onto applying acrylic paint in its usual thickness to the acetate. I manipulated the paint with a piece of corrugated cardboard which formed many marks on the acetate which were thin and close together, creating a rough texture which portrays how upholding a façade can be a difficulty at times. As I made these marks using long strokes, it represents the extensive length of a journey from a Kafkaesque state to a positive mindset. These marks are curved and sometimes go in different directions to show how an individual makes quick, rash decisions when they feel overwhelmed by outside pressure, for example, work deadlines. As I have used acrylic in its normal consistency, the paint hasn't been allowed to mix, even when I was overlapping the colours, this is because the paint itself would dry before being able to soak into the acetate itself before merging with other colours on the sheet. This has given the compositions a disjointed feel and so reflects indecisive thoughts that are dealt with in a Kafkaesque state. Although the blue and the purple are harmonious colours, they don't give a fluid vibe to the composition and so they emphasise this rocky journey further.

However, my aim was to create a largely juxtaposing composition to my textural responses to Mark Tobey and Chila Burman and I didn't think that I had accomplished this because I was still creating a rough texture but instead with bright colours. After going back to my first two experiments (watered-down acrylic paint), they had in fact dried but just took significantly longer to than the ones where I used acrylic paint at its usual thickness. I then completed some more experiments using watered-down acrylic onto acetate and allowed them to dry overnight. Doing this allowed a more fluid vibe to be emitted from the composition. They also appear to be smoky due to their translucent nature which reminding me of the term 'smoke and mirrors', which is often used to define when someone is obscuring the truth, and in essence this is what a Kafkaesque individual does to hide what is really going on. However, as I am thinning the paint, the pigment in the paint also thins and so I have lost the stark, vivid colour that I had in the previous experiments. I am going to need to experiment with paint to water ratios so that I can still get a strong enough colour to represent a content feeling that an individual is trying to emit, whilst still being able to see through it to capture the concept of a façade.

Installation artist influence

' The term installation art is used to describe large-scale, mixed-media constructions, often designed for a specific place or for a temporary period of time.'

Cornelia Parker

Cold Dark Matter: an Exploded View

Medium - Wood, metal, plastic, ceramic, paper, textile and wire

Dimensions - Unconfirmed: 4000 x 5000 x 5000 mm

This composition uses objects to symbolise transience and fragility, it is made of familiar domestic items that are created from the explosion. The whole space is turned into a sculptural environment due to the shadows that have been made by the presence of the damaged objects. This artist take influence from war, specifically from the British Army, as this is an exploded garden shed.

I have been influenced by this artist in terms of the way that her installation piece is displayed as it is suspended from the ceiling. I think this makes the composition look incredibly interesting and it also emphasises the sheer scale of her work. Furthermore, this explosion revolving around the British
Army could reflect how there is a fragmentation within their mind due to common illnesses associated with the Armed Forces; PTSD. As this structure is rigid, it represents how there is a harsh structure to the environment that the soldier/individual finds themselves in and so this can seem very uniform and overwhelming if this routine is too busy.I like the idea of using rigid materials to present a rigid routine and so I want to see if I can find a material that is rigid that I could work onto. I have already experimented working onto board, perhaps I could work onto plywood or plastics. I could use this idea of there being many parts to portray how many factors can contribute to depression. I like how this composition casts shadows around the room and therefore it spans more than just the physical aspect of it. This creates an eery mood which seems controlling due to the large size of the shadows. In my final piece, I could use light to create shadows to represent an encompassing darkness that the individual finds themselves in.

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/i/installation-art


Cerith Wyn Evans  
Forms in space ... by light
This collection is made from almost 2km of neon lighting, which has been configured into straight lines, sweeping curves and spiralling forms, and hung from the ceiling. He has expanded his practice to incorporate sculpture, photography, film and text to communicate his influences from language and perception. He uses a wide range of illumination in his compositions which display theatrical atmospheres.

Like the composition above, this is also suspended from the ceiling and I think this is something that I am going to do in my final piece as it makes the composition more interesting in terms of space. As the piece is elevated, it almost has a lost connection with the ground and so I could use this to show how an individual can lose touch with reality. I also like how the lighting has sweeping curves and this relates to the work in the style of Helen Frankenthaler that I have been doing with the soak-stain technique. I have been inspired by this artist to incorporate the fluid work that I have been doing in my sketchbooks. I want to be able to bring both of my style of works together to create a juxtaposition between my concepts - depression and escapism. I could take influence from Evans in terms of the strokes that I make and the movement this then creates. In this photograph, there is a lady standing underneath and this had led me to think about how I am going to get the viewer involved with my final piece. I want to create an interaction between the viewer and my artwork, so I am going to think about how to do this. I think I could either have the final piece completely above head-height like this composition, or allow the viewer to step inside my final piece. At the moment, I think that having my final piece above head-height would mean that not much of my artwork would be seen if I worked onto 2D. Therefore, I think I will allow the viewer the chance to step inside my final composition as this links with my theme better as I could create a mind frame of a depressed individual.

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/tour/tate-britain-commission-2017/audio-description-illumination

Experimenting with layers using Chila Burman as an influence

Since I have been combining several techniques, I thought that it would be beneficial for me to experiment using layers, for example with newspaper. As my holiday in Barcelona was such big milestone for me - my first abroad holiday without my parents - I wanted to bring this into my work. I have done this by collaging photographs from this holiday with newspaper and a magazine that I got from the trip to London. These three media forms all link to my experiences, having collected them on the way. I have tried to use these in a way that portrays my theme of 'Kafkaesque' and the idea of escapism. I have taken influence from one of my artists, Chila Burman, as much of her work is based around collage and her own experiences. Throughout Burman’s work, the effect of her experience is clear and I want to try and replicate this striking idea,

Here I have collaged the materials I have mentioned above. I began with tearing sections of newspaper and sticking them in the background, these pieces offer some tonal representation to the composition due to the black text. I have layered pieces of magazine over this which have a smoother texture than the newspaper as the paper is glossier. This means that the tonal representation seems looks raw in terms of an earthy material and so creates a rough texture. Whereas the magazine looks modern, current and manufactured to produce perfection. These two mediums provide a contrast between someone’s rough thoughts versus their cleaner finished routes of escapism, for example a hobby. In the centre, I have collaged a photograph of a company filming in the evening, where they had bright white screens to illuminate the setting. There is a vivid contrast between the dark night and the white screens which reflect the two personas of a person that is battling with depression and attempting to portray a bright self. I have added hazy white chalk marks over the top of this to show the fragility and temporary nature of someone's outer fascade.

I have printed my photographs of a landscape on Barcelona in black and white and also enlarged them to slightly distort their realistic nature. The one I have used in this composition is of a tree which appears quite eary when you can only see the tone. This juxtaposes the reality of the blue sky and green leaves and suggests how different people see the world- situations may be Kafkaesque to some and not others. I have tried to capture the contrast between this and an individual's route of escapism by transferring in image of a piece of graffiti over the top - art being a way that helps people to divert their thoughts. I didn't add any pieces of magazine to this composition as I wanted the transfer to be the only glossy texture in it to truly capture the contrast between a person's dull interior and sugar-coated exterior.

Combining my textural work with my other techniques using acrylic paint and soft pastel

I decided to combine the techniques that I have been using in my experimental sketchbooks, for example, the soak-stain technique, soft pastels and textural work to form mixed media compositions. I experimented doing this on board and am going to explain the process that I went through to get to the end result.

First of all, I prepared the board with emulsion paint in Wednesday's session so that I could work onto it on Friday. I then stuck down three pieces of newspaper to the background so it added more tone to the background. I arranged these pieces of newspaper in a way that would direct the marks that I would make with the paint in the next step.

After this, I poured watered-down acrylic onto the board, I did this so that the blue spanned across most of the bottom half and only used a limited amount of orange to capture a quick contrast against the blue.

I went onto adding masking tape over the top, laying it in a vertical fashion. This then leads the eye downwards towards the piece of greaseproof paper that I scrunched up before sticking it flat to the surface.

After this I made a blue chalk mark to emphasise the blue that is in the background and rubbed charcoal over the top of the masking tape and greaseproof paper so that it picked up their textures. Furthermore, I felt that the edges of the board looked bare so I added two orange marks with watered-down acrylic paint to the top left and bottom right corners. This almost frames the centre of the composition with a vivid contrast to the blue used.

Finally, I made the charcoal darker over the masking tape and greaseproof paper and also added two marks that followed the direction of the orange paint that I added before. This meant that the charcoal branched out towards the outskirts of the composition more.

London - 5 October

On Thursday I went to the Tate Modern in London. I found that instead of sketching sculptures and parts of painting that interested me, I was more drawn to sketching people viewing the artwork there. I did this because I didn’t see anything in terms of art that particularly grabbed my attention.
In the sketch below I have drawn people viewing Martin Luther King's 'I have a dream speech'. the bench in front of the TV screen was packed full of people, with no spaces in between one another. Usually you find that people are quite aware of their personal space when being in the company of strangers, but the unity that I felt watching them watch the speech was quite intense. I wanted to capture this specific emotions that I felt when seeing people of all cultures come together to respect a big movement that has happened in our recent history - black Rights. This made me realise how in many ways we are all the same and how we experience things much the same. It made me think about how Kafkaesque states can differ culturally as well as individually. Someone who lives in England will experience a Kafkaesque state that relates to something completely different to someone who lives in the Eastern side of the world. Point is, we all experience the same emotions and are all susceptible to mental illnesses like depression.

I took a lot of pictures whilst on the way from Tate Modern to The Photographer's Gallery of the buildings and places that offered interesting colour themes. In Waterloo, we passed a place where there was an aray of restaurants that had bright marketing colours. There was a food truck (pictured below) that had a raspberry pink on it which I caught my attention, along with vibrant yellow benches where customers could eat. Whilst I walked past, a man with a hi-vis jacket walked up to the stand and so I waited for him to get into the frame of my picture as his jacket was part of the colour palette. Throughout this picture there is now a illuminous green/yellow colour that can be seen at the top, middle and bottom and so there is a balance in this photograph. As these colours aren’t typical eatery colours, like red - associated with food a lot for example restaurants like Frankie and Benny’s, Nando’s  and KFC - this makes the food truck catch the buyers eye. This juicy, refreshing colour palette links to how an individual uses escapism to revitalise their life to try and overcome things like depression. These colours seem to offer an avenue of rejuvenation and happiness which definitely fits in with my theme that is running through my personal investigation.

I also took a photograph of some graffiti on a wall which linked to current affairs, for example, Donald Trump's presidency. The graffiti on this wall reminded me of Mark Tobey's work due to the angular marks that are made and also how a bright red is used. To study Mark Tobey in more depth I think I should look at graffiti and creating textures that appear weathered, like on a wall. I could do this by tearing materials and layering them onto a surface. These sharp marks reflect a depressed individual’s frustration in a situation that they are dealing with. The importance of mark making is evident as it provides an angry mood to the wall.

Using soft pastel to make marks

I have began experimenting with using soft pastels as one of my compositions that I previously completed on board looked like I had used them. So, I have chosen to explore this medium in the style of Helen Frankenthaler. I have used the soft pastels on their side so that a thicker marks is made, it also adds a rougher texture than if I was to use it on its end. Using it on its side also allows me to cover a larger area quicker and still use big,fast movements that I had previously been doing with watered-down acrylic paint. The colours are more vivid in these studies than when I have used paint as I have not diluted the colours in any way, this means the composition is more striking. When layering the pastels, I found that if I put a lighter colour over the top of my composition, it made it look softer. In the picture below the colours look quite fragmented, and I think this portrays how an individual can have conflicting thoughts on an issue. I have made orange the centre colour, this provides a bright mood which is sandwiched between two cold colours. This represents how a depressed individual uses escapism to try and push away the cold, dark thoughts that they dwell on all day. I have used orange as the centre colour to emphasise that this vibrant place is the individual’s objective. Keeping the marks interlocked means that I have portrayed how an individual can sit inside their own bubble going through their thoughts and trying to figure out a way to overcome this. The orange mark slightly overlaps the purple one and so I am trying to show how using escapism to overcome depression can be an avenue that someone takes as it takes over the negative thoughts. I have therefore tried to provide a sense of hope with the orange focal point representing happiness prevailing in the centre. Also I have placed the cold colours mainly near the bottom so show a slow progression upwards from a depressed state to overcoming the mental illness through escapism. I have therefore added a lot of blue and purple at the bottom to portray the suppression of negative thoughts.

Next, I thought about adding colour in the background. I have put short marks of colour onto the background and rubbed them with a tissue so that the pastel spreads to create a more even wash of colour that provides a subtle, muted background. Doing this with the orange pastel, means that a softer orange is then shown which gives a warm feel, as it looks like burning sand. This vibe reminds me of being on holiday in the summer. In the foreground, I added orange, blue and purple marks which is the same colour palette that I had been using in my paint experiments. The one solid stroke of purple that goes vertically down the centre is a focal point that accentuates the other directions of the marks made. I haven’t added any colour in the centre of the blue marks to show how an individual can feel trappe amongst their depressive thoughts, even though they are surrounded by warmth and support. I have tried to highlight the importance of the individual realising they can overcome their illness by using what is around them to help them, for example family and friends.

Furthermore, I did experiments using my other colour palette, one that is colder than my other one as green replaces the orange, giving an instant isolated feel to the composition.  I started by laying down a light green background, onto which I layered curving marks, beginning with the blue. The blue mark is most striking on the page and draws the most attention and so I then emphasised this by adding a thick purple mark in the tightest bend near the bottom and defined the split between the purple and blue with a singular green line. Here, I haven't allowed the colours to blend together to demonstrate the sharp contrast between the cold emotions. If I had allowed the colours to blend then this would've given a turquoise colour which would've reminded me of my holiday in Barcelona. To prevent this composition from reminding me of my holiday, I have to separate the colour turquoise down into blue and green so that I could create a disjointed feel rather than a content one. I think that this technique has been effective as I have been able to take my own positive experience and reflect it in a way that is more negative so that it fits with my theme of depression. There is a sense of space in this composition due to the marks only filling part of the page, this then forms a void in which represents an empty space that an individual feels encompassed by. At the top of the blue mark I have also used a tissue to drag the pastel away from the main focus of the composition, this created several thinner and softer marks which give a delicate feel to the piece. Doing this has allowed me to show a contrast between a soft texture and the dense marks that are in the centre, I think this allows the viewer to see the confusion in the composition which reflects the confused state of a depressed individual.

Adding textures to my experiments influenced by Mark Tobey

Following using charcoal,biro and watercolour in my experiments, I found that my studies weren't being extended in a way that I wanted them to. To combat this, I tried using orange watercolour paint, as well as the blue to contrast each other and to make the compositions more interesting. I sealed the charcoal with hairspray so that when I applied the watercolour, they didn't mix, this therefore made the orange and blue appear brighter and more vivid. Additionally, I didn't add the biro marks that I had previously been making as I felt that there would be too much dark tone in the composition if I did this. I have varied the amount of tone in this composition by layering the charcoal less/more in different areas. I have used the charcoal on its side as this means that I can cover a larger surface area, meaning the marks become textured. Plus, I have used the charcoal on its end to add line to the experiment, I have made the lines short and angular to represent a depressed individuals decision making, sometimes rash and 'off-the-cuff'. The marks at the top of the composition look like letters and so this represents how someone has dark thoughts. Furthermore, using the charcoal in two different ways allows for there to be more tonal representation and also provides different textures, for example, soft and texture versus hard and solid. This therefore portrays the contrast between an individual's confused mind and how they revel with ideas. Furthermore, I have made the marks I have made slightly curved so that when they are built up, a cylindrical shape is formed. I have done this to represent how an individual can become lost in a whirlwind of their negative thoughts and to show how it is difficult to get out of this state and ask for help. Additionally, I have tried to capture the individual's feeling of isolation which creates loneliness.

Next, I tore samples of wallpaper off the spare rolls that we have in our house. I used them by placing the wallpaper underneath the page I was working onto and rubbing charcoal over the top so that the charcoal only picked up the texture of it. Here, I have only done this in parts of the composition as I think it looks more interesting as the background has more variation in regards to texture. This also means that I can alter the texture to represent a rocky journey through depression. Whilst doing these experiments, I found that when I was applying the watercolour paint through my stencil, that the way the marks were directing on the page was becoming to look random. So, instead I looked at the direction of the marks that I had made with the charcoal and made the watercolour paint follow this, therefore making the composition have more unity. I then thought about varying the amount of tonal representation in my work, and so I have altered the density of the charcoal that I built up throughout my experiments. By altering the density I can portray how depression is caused by multiple of factors which are often unknown and so I have put used black charcoal to represent this.

After this, I have added collage to the page to build up the amount of textures in my work. I have torn sections of newspaper and stuck them in the background and worked over the top of it with charcoal and still using the wallpaper rubbing technique. Adding collage to the page means that here is more tonal representation. In these compositions I have thought about the colour on the newspaper, and selected sections that are part of my colour palette of blue and orange. In the experiment below I have selected an orange area, this one horizontal mark adds minimalistic colour to the composition. I then went onto using coloured soft pastels over the top of the collage, as well as the charcoal. Using soft pastel allows me to add colour along with still having the same properties as charcoal, for example, it being a soft medium. In the experiment below, I have selected a section of newspaper that has blue in it and used a blue pastel to add colour to the composition and so a harmony is created between the two. I have also layered the charcoal and pastel so that the blue pastel doesn't appear too dominating as it is quite bright. By layering the charcoal, there is a unity created between this medium and the black text in the newspaper. I have used contrasting colours to show the juxtaposition between a negative and positive mood. I want to show the reality of a depressed individual through using a cold blue and contrast this with what people expect someone to be, warm and happy by using orange.

Experimenting with the soak-stain technique

I have been experimenting with the soak-stain technique that is widely seen in Helen Frankenthaler's work. I began with doing smaller experiments in an A6 book to familiarise myself with this technique and then I started to work in larger sketchbooks. I have poured watered-down acrylic onto the page in all of the following studies. I have completed these experiments on three different scales to gage what scale works best in terms of pouring the paint onto the page and to see what effects different scales gave. I found that working onto A6 meant that the composition is easily focussed on due to its small size. I have also worked onto A4 which allows for there to be some movement in the compositions, but this was definitely easier on A3 as I didn't have to be too careful with how much paint I was pouring onto the page. Working on A3 has allowed me to apply a lot of paint to the page and given me enough space to experiment with movement. furthermore, I have used these three different scales to reflect a progression in an individual's abilities to escape their depression and commit this negative energy into something more positive. I have been able to show how a person starts of by performing small acts of escapism and reflect the growing their growing confidence when overcoming the mental illness by increasing the scale that I have worked on.

In this experiment I have used blue and yellow, which I then mixed together to make green. Therefore these colours are harmonious to each other as they appear next to each other on the colour wheel. I have blotted areas with a paper towel where there was too much water on the page which has created outlined shapes. This outline gives the idea of someone being confused, for example, if block colours represent stability, the outline portrays how someone's emotion is quick to change. Alternatively, this outline could relate to the theme of the individual feeling isolated by their emotions and not feeling like they can seek help. As I used too much paint in this composition, I have dried my work with a heat gun, which when I used it on faster speed, made the paint run in different directions, creating small amounts of movement in the experiment.

As I had previously created movement, I thought of ways to portray this further, which meant I needed a way to manipulate the paint on the page. I decided to use string as Frankenthaler uses more obscure objects to do so in her artwork. Using string to move the paint allowed for finer marks to be made as the string only touched parts of the page. I lay down areas of orange and purple in the background which contrasts and is harmonious to the blue in the foreground. I let the majority of this dry before adding the blue over the top where I created a cylindrical shape. By creating a cylindrical shape with layers of different colours, I have represented how a series of events can lead to an uncontrollable whirlwind of emotion that an individual may struggle to cope with when in a Kafkaesque state. Towards the bottom of the composition I have made the same circular marks with all of the colours and these have bled into one another slightly. I think the soft purple in the background gives the composition a more childlike feel as it reminds me of dolly mixtures and candyfloss. This childlike feel reflects how depression can stem from childhood which I have found out through research, where I found that one in four young people will experience depression before the age of nineteen.

This is one of my experiments that was completed in an A3 sketchbook. Instead of making marks that form a uniform direction like in the experiment above, I have made marks in various directions that are still curved as I think curved lines give a calmer feel to the piece. I have poured a large quantity of paint onto the top of the page and used string to drag in down the page. As I got nearer to the bottom, I pressed on more lightly with the string and made quick curved motions to create the wavy marks at the bottom. As the marks made are delicate and swooping, I think the bottom of this composition almost looks likes fine hair. To make these fine marks I had to wait for the majority of the paint in the top section to dry so that when I manipulated the paint with the string, there was only a small amount of paint on the string. I then added blue over the top of the purple on the left so that I could add some more defined marks and then I further accentuated the shape of the subject by adding orange to the right side which pops against the purple.

Observational Drawing

The other day, I spent some time doing some observational drawing around the college. I mainly focussed on line. Here, I have drawn the outside of the college and used short, fast movements to create a jagged texture of the trees and made smoother lines for the metal fence. I used a 2H pencil as it has a harder lead and would reflect the sturdy nature of the objects that I have drawn. Focussing on line, I then continued to experiment with different types of line.

I have drawn using continuous line in my next studies which I did from a photograph that I took in Tenbury Wells. I also have used both hands to do this drawing, 2 minutes with my strong (left) hand, and 1 minute with my right hand. Due to using continuous line and my weak hand, this drawing is very loose and has an expressive feel. I chose to stick brown paper to the background as it reflects the age of the small market town. Having chosen to have this in the background, I used biro to draw with instead of pencil as it would be easier to see as it would contrast the paper more. If I had used a pencil, which is soft, the drawing would've appeared faint, as I found out from using it on top of the brown paper. To combat this, I used biro as well in these studies to add detail or shape.

Next, I began experimenting with how I could add tone to my drawings. To do this I rubbed cotton wool on charcoal and used it to apply tone to the page. I found that this gave a soft texture, which I contrasted by adding detail with a pencil or biro. It also allowed me to easily build up tone where necessary. A pencil allowed me to add lines which formed the shape of the street, whereas I used biro to add sections of the street as the black biro would've been to harsh against the soft tone.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach - 27 August

Over bank holiday weekend we went to stay at my Auntie Diane and Uncle Mark's house in Lancashire. We travelled up on the Saturday afternoon, after Dad had finished playing golf and got there in time for dinner, where Darren, Fiona and Iris also joined us.

Most of the photographs I took on Sunday at Blackpool Pleasure Beach were of everyone that went, but I did manage to get a few relevant ones whilst having a very busy day.

Photograph taken from 'Flying machines'

I took this photograph whilst waiting for the ride, 'Flying machines', to start. I like this photograph as there is harmony between the white aeroplanes (the ride), the clouds and the white structures around the place. As it is quite light, the red "engines" on the back of the carriage in front offers a sharp injection of vibrant colour. As this ride doesn't begin at ground level, you can see more of the park in the distance.

On the beach front

After having a busy and fun day at the Pleasure Beach, we bought some rock and walked along the promenade for a little while. This is a photograph of (left to right), Uncle Mark, myself, Alfie, Richard, Mum, Dad, Auntie Diane and Darren. It was just reaching dusk when this photograph was taken and so the colours of the sky look calming to me. I like this soft colour palette that contains light blue, white and lemon. As the sky behind us is very light, there is contrast between our dark clothes and the sky.

Tenbury Wells and Ludlow 19-20 August

This weekend my Mum and I went visiting her side of the family. We managed to see more of the family than usual which was lovely.

Richard's Castle village hall

On the Saturday evening, myself and Hollie went to a party where her boyfriend, Jake, was playing in his band. The colour of the dark wood indicates how old this building is, which is expectable giving that it is a village hall in Richard's Castle. It was strange to be at an event where you had to take your own drinks as there wasn't a bar, I don't recall ever going to a village hall. This got me thinking about how different venues are still around in the countryside compared to in towns. My town doesn't have a village hall and the one in Richard's Castle is still frequently in use. It turned out that the night was an evening for jive and I got taught how to jive by one of the teachers. It was great to learn something new, however my heels were a bit too high to be moving around the dancefloor so quick.

Hollie, Jake and I

On this night, Hollie and I accidentally wore outfits that included the same colours- white and nudes. These plain, soft colours accentuate Jake's illuminous green suit jacket and tie, even if it didn't need any more attention being drawn to it. This was what Jake wore in his band, his other band mates wearing illuminous orange and purple. As this photograph was taken in a room with little light, our bright and light coloured clothing makes us the focal point. If I could take this photograph again, I would make sure there was nobody in the background as the flowery patterned top to the right detracts some attention away from the subject.

Olives in Ludlow Food Centre

On Sunday, Mum and I met up with her family that live in Ludlow at a summer fun day. For lunch, we picked a selection of foods from cous cous to scones. However, I have included this photograph of olives in my blog as this is a new food that I have enjoyed over the summer in various places; Barcelona, many restaurants and in Ludlow. Olives are a food that I never used to like as they have a strong taste, but now I love them.

Boardmasters 9-14 August

This year I went to Boardmasters festival in Cornwall with my friends for five days - we arrived on Wednesday 9 August by coach and left the following Monday. As well as enjoying this experience, I have managed to capture some incredible moments and also relate them to my personal investigation.

Interacting with a composition against sea pollution

Here I am stood on a surfboard that was part of a composition that included a sculpture of a wave made out of waste. As Boardmasters hosts surfing competitions at Fistral Beach and has many links to the seaside, this wave sculpture was made out of plastics that are commonly found in the sea as a reminder of the pollution in our oceans. Whilst I was there I loved dressing in more obscure clothing and covering myself in glitter and jewels. It was great to see everyone's sparkly outfits and I even received the odd compliment here and there. This outfit in particular got me thinking about one of my artists, Chila Burman, someone who uses mixed media in her work. Coming from an Asian family, some of her work, for example, 'Sugar love', includes items such as bhindis. When I was at this festival I wore face jewels and glitter and this gave me the idea that I could use these in my work when I start looking at Burman in more depth.

Sugar love

Chila Burman

oil paint and bhindis on canvas

2013

Corona Sunset stage

In this photograph of the Corona Sunset stage, the stage acts as a divide across the horizon between the sky and the ground. I think that the navy sky looks quite intense, especially when it is contrasted by the bright lights to the right of the photograph. The colour of the sky is also harmonious to the green grass and these colours both belong to a colder colour palette. This cold colour palette is then contrasted by a warm yellow which slices the photograph horizontally. As this photograph was taken at night, the lights are much more prominent than if it was taken in the day. Along with this, there is also more tone in the sky where the clouds have lined the sky at night time, allowing some light to seep through in more places than others. I like how the amount of tone in the sky contrasts the little tonal representation in the sky, making the sky more attractive. I think this concept of warm and cold colours is something that I can experiment with in my artwork.

Ellie, Reigan and I at 'The Point'

Alfie and I at 'The Point'

Trentham Gardens 6 August

Over the weekend, my family and I stayed in a spa hotel in Stoke-on-Trent, as this place is halfway between my house and my Auntie's. On the Saturday evening we went out for a lovely meal at Nom restaurant to celebrate my parents' and my Auntie and Uncle's wedding anniversaries, where they received complementary drinks.

The next day, we went to Trentham Gardens which was a short drive from where we were staying. I was pleasantly surprised about how much there was to do there, as I expected there to be just a garden with flowers in it. However; there was a courtyard full of shops (spanning from well-known brands to independent businesses),there was a fairy trail on the way round to interest children, a walk around a large lake, a café to get lunch from, a stage where a brass band played - as well as the expected aray of flower beds.

Whilst walking round, we noticed a tree to our left which looked unusual. Upon further inspection, there was a carving of several otters in the wood. These were incredibly detailed and I expect they chose to carve otters as there is a family of otters that live nearby which can be viewed (if youre lucky enough to spot on) from the otter hide which is within the trees. In this photograph, the tails of the otters are the focal point as they have the plain sky behind them which creates a contrast between the plain background and the tails. As the otters face downwards, the eye then follows the direction of where the otters are heading.

We walked past one patch of land that was entirely mud, rather than grass like in all the other areas of the gardens. From this land grew jagged trees which created interesting lines. One thing that particularly drew my attention to these trees is that the branches form quite angular shapes, whereas usually you expect branches to be relatively straight and branching out from the centre. With this tree, there is no defined trunk and also no leaves which, giving the time of year that it is, gives a colder atmosphere rather than that of the day which was warm and filled with a content vibe. The sporadic branches form lines that I could link to Mark Tobey's work as the lines he uses in his work overlap and vary in thickness, similar to the branches in the above photograph.