Summary

Hey, yeeeeeh I haven't blogged for a while so here is a summary of the last 5 weeks:

Finished my Fine Art project and the flames, my poem, the contrasting birds and the album telling my story but showing that the best is yet to come all worked perfectly together. This installation was all about the girl I am today and transformation.

 

STARTED 3D

 

The theme was alter egos. I started by making a psychedelic panda using vacuum forming then created a multi-coloured plaster cast of her wearing my steam punk goggles. The colours are in contrast with the monochrome panda and the dark steam punk accessories.

 

I then had the idea of showing Gothic legends such as Dracula and Frankenstein's alter egos as hippies spreading peace and love instead of fear.

 

 

I experimented by making clay studies of Dracula's head. I want to include more detail and colour so I will explore polymer clays.

 

 

 

Life Drawing sessions are going well. Today I explored using red chalk.

 

 

 

Back to 3D........

 

May I introduce you to Loki the Puppet of Mischief who is my alter ego. He is sometimes outrageous, always mischievous and playful and determined to be heard. He has become my companion, he guides me and gives me confidence. Over the years he has grown with me and has become a chameleon since when in close contact with me he mimics my appearance so that he can become one with me. 

 

Loki can change the way he looks but is always part of me shown by the imprints on his hands and feet. The imprints are of my precious pendants given to me by my gran and I always wear them.

 

Decided to make the head out of polymer clay. Really easy to use and create detail and paint. The ridge of clay helps to secure the head to the body when wrapped in wadding and nylon tights.

Made the body out of double twisted wire for strength and with loops as joints and for connections with head, hands and feet. The body was then wrapped in wadding and tights to create muscles.

 

Life drawing.

 

Completed charcoal drawings. Really enjoying these sessions. 

 

3D

 

Created various clay moulds of puppet's hat ready to be vacuum formed out of yellow plastic.

 

 

 

I made the feet and hands out of Polymer clay wrapped around wire to connect to body and pressed pendants into the soles and palms. Before I hardened the clay in the oven I also created a ridge of clay to secure to the body.  

 

The yellow plastic was perfect, strong but easy to mould and also melt a hole in for the elastic.

 

 

 

 Back Life Drawing....

I decided to leave this last one unfinished as I wanted the main focus to be on the face.

 

 

And back to 3D...

Made a resin cast of my apple and cross pendant using gold pigment to make them shiny. The resin was easy to use and colour. The final product when filed was smooth, light and detailed. I created a hole for the wire fastener using a hot pin. 

 

I then had pictures taken of Loki and I in the photography studio.

I used different facial expressions and made it look as if I was in deep conversation with him.

 

 

 

 

I gave Loki similar clothes to me as he is a Chameleon and when close to me he mimics the colour of my clothing.   

 

 

 

Fine Art- The Girl I Am Today

Recorded my poem over crackling flames which were displayed on my laptop screen.

 

 Inspired by Sinead O'Conner's video for 'Nothing Compares 2 U'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUiTQvT0W_0

I wanted to look to the side to look mysterious.

I used make up to highlight my face and lips, the swirl down the side represents a Phoenix tail.

Drawign- Life drawing 1

 

I began my life drawing which I am relieved to have finally started as I want to improve the way I draw people and my proportions and perspective.

 I enjoyed this session even if I was slightly nervous and I know that there is so much more that I can learn about the human anatomy to help become a better practitioner.

Fine Art- Chameleon Project Part 6- Phoenic Display Part 2

After testing out many different material and ways of displaying the path leading up to my Phoenix, I decided to create 3 separate collages to show 3 different stages in my life where I have shown the most progression.

Drawing- humming Bird part 3

I have completed my two design sheets for drawing as seen below:

 

 

Added annotation and a sketch of our humming bird from a different angle.

I studied both Back elevation of the Phone and I also did a drawing of the phone after it had been opened up since I was fascinated by the circuit board and it reminds me of a city scape.  

Fine Art- The Girl I am Today

I have decided to use a poem in my Fine Art project, since I remember the times when I was younger going to the ' In Flanders Field Museum' in Ypres, Belgium. It was fascinating to look at all the different pieces of art work, photographs artefacts and models from WW1. The piece that moved me the most there was an installation which included  four gas masks in glass cylinders which filled with smoke to represent gas all pointing at the viewer, collages and photographs, dramatic lighting, and WW1 poetry. For me the poetry was the most moving part of the installation and I feel that it would not have been the same without it, which is why I decided to write my own  poem to have played on a continuous loop for my installation.

Here it is:

The Girl I am Today by Kate Davis

 

You would not recognize the girl I am today,

If you knew the girl I was yesterday.

I was a little girl yesterday,

And did not want a say

In the way the world works or how people should behave.

You would think I could not hear you,

Or my responses delayed,

But I would engrave

Every word you say

In my mind,

And give you an answer in due time.

 

I will not deny,

My answers are still delayed,

But only for a second to let my mind engrave,

I learn from my past,

And the words that you speak,

And finally

I CAN SPEAK.

 

And the feathers are growing,

In gold, orange, red and blue,

Colours I always knew,

Lay buried underneath the pale flesh of the past,

They are coming out at last.

 

And I am the fire bird,

The PASSION

The CONTROL

All I have ever wanted to be,

I am,

The girl I am today.

Fine Art- Chameleon Project 5- Phoenix display draft 1

I experimented with lighting for my Phoenix. I may explore alternative options since although the Phoenix is lit up beautifully it distracts you from the contents in the case and there are unwanted shadows created by the objects. I would be worried that the path of Photographs showing my Transformation from little girl, to school girl would not be seen.

I may also rethink how I want to display my photographs since I am not sure if the spiral will be too small.

 

The Arthurian Faery Fyre

5 weeks ago I was  researching the artist Anne Stokes for Art History and I found a link on the artists website which talked about something called the 'Arthurian Faery Fayre' which was going to be held at Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury. What was most exciting about this news ( besides my love of fairies) is that Anne was attending the Fayre selling signed prints and displaying work along side  other famous fantasy illustrators such as Josephine Wall, Peter Pracownik, Nicola-Clare Lydon and many more.

I had an amazing time at the Faery Fayre and was extremely fortunate to be able to speak to Anne, Josephine and her husband Bob, and Nicola. They gave me some amazing advice and how I should 'never give up' and experiment with as many different techniques and explore as many different art forms as I can. They are extraordinary people and I hope to meet them again in the future.

Anne and I.

Nicola and I.

 

Fine Art-Cameleon Project Part 4-Phoenix 3

I continued to add colour to my Phoenix and begin to apply paint using a range of pallet knives.

 

For the wings I used a diamond shape and a round ended knife to create different textures.

I also used the same round ended knife to create a feathered texture on both the inner parts of the wings and the body.

I am extremely pleased with the way my Phoenix has turned out, especially the way its gold breast catches the light.

After finishing painting the first bird, I then moved onto projecting my second one onto an A0 sheet of paper.

I also tested out my idea of casting a shadow onto the wall which I found worked well, and I may use this for my final piece.

 

 After I finished projecting the bird I began to fill it in with charcoal and black and white paint.

I wasn't sure how this bird would turn out since I have not had a lot of experience using charcoal, but I am thrilled with it and I feel it creates an interesting comparison between the vibrancy of the smaller colourful bird and the dark intensity of the one above. The growth represents POTENTIAL and the different colours, medias and textures represent TRANSFORMATION.