Tutor Feedback Part 3

 Assignment 3 focuses on Life Forms. You have sent a digital portfolio that explains your concepts and development well.

Reduction technique is Printmakers marmite love it or loathe it! Picasso invented this process because he liked the immediacy of developing an image on the same block rather than separate blocks of lino. I attach a video from the British Museum on his lino process.

You are beginning to interweave the importance of personal voice into your text and making progress with the complexity of printmaking techniques. Often questions beginning with W are worth asking - Why am I making this work?

What am I trying to say through this work? And then why again. What does the work imply to a viewer? Where can I go to undertake research? What barriers do I need to overcome? What would improve the work?

Linocut Artist | Boarding All Rows. 2022. Picasso's Linocuts and His Reduction Linocut Technique — Linocut Artist | Boarding All Rows. [online] Available at: <https://www.boardingallrows.com/blog/picasso-reduction-linocuts-technique> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

I found reduction lino printing incredibly difficult. The above video showing Picasso's technique and how he created such intricate prints with accuracy within the layers at such an old age is amazing. The end print is so vibrant and interesting. Lining up with print layers, even with guides was really difficult. Although I achieved several colours in one print, the colour palette did not work and the detail was not how I envisaged. Further planning and testing of colours would have improved the final result and had I had the time more practice would also have benefitted.

My personal voice is starting to come through more in this part of the course, I spent more time thinking about what I wanted to say for the assignment piece and did work through different compositions and colour tests first. However the inks do not behave the same as digital colours and this really showed at the end.

Damian Hirst - Butterflies:

Michelle suggested looking at Damian Hirst's series on butterflies. Hirst used butterflies to symbolize death and resurrection similarly to my own symbolism for my reduction print. Whilst Hirst's butterfly works represent his personal beliefs, mine will always be attributed to my belief in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection and what that means for me as a believer. I think this is where my personal voice starts to show through. Whilst Hirst's installations were quite distressing, my own artistic voice aims to present my beliefs in a more subtle, gentle way. My strong faith underpins this assignment and although it didn't result in the look I was hoping for, I feel the symbolism is there and if I could develop it further it could be a strong spiritual print.

the Guardian. 2022. Damien Hirst's butterflies: distressing but weirdly uplifting. [online] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/apr/18/damien-hirst-butterflies-weirdly-uplifting> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

Using tools to create marks into the lino was a very enjoyable task and ended with some effective results. Mark making in general is definitely a theme in my work overall and learning about these techniques is an interesting addition.

Drawing from observation to strengthen my final prints is definitely something I am becoming more used to doing. Using a sketchbook isn't a habit I was used to before starting this degree but it is something I have always wanted to become more natural at doing. As this course has gone along I have aimed to include more sketchbook work but still fall short and am working on making it more of a habit. Working a subject over and over again is also something I find very difficult. I tend to work on something for a little while and then feel the itch to move on without exploring it too deeply. This is another area to improve on.

Artist's to look at:

Derek Sprawson -

I found Sprawson's work very uncomfortable to look at, obscure and I don't really understand it. Being so different from my own work and yet claiming to be based on Sprawson's faith I find it hard to see that being expressed looking at the images in this gallery. I've always found art installations and live art to be too obscure for my taste and would probably class myself as more of a traditionalist.

Stillunresolved.org. 2022. Derek Sprawson. [online] Available at: <http://www.stillunresolved.org/index.php/associates/derek-sprawson> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

Hughie O' Donoghue -

'Brotherhood of the trees', a series of paintings by Hughie O' Donoghue is definitely more up my street. Expressive, bold, abstract paintings with thicker line work and softer areas. O' Donoghue's exhibition in Westminster Abbey is quite striking. The colours used mirror the colours of the stained glass windows and seem to merge with the space beautifully. 

Hughieodonoghue.com. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.hughieodonoghue.com/> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

Peter Wray -
The initial link sent had expired but I found Wray's work on another gallery website. 'Silent Watchers', oil, mixed media on board is a beautifully textured painting. The layers look so tactile, you just want to reach into the screen and run your fingers over them. The layers, textures and marks in Wray's works are very interesting and definitely a style I admire.

Riverbankgallery.co.uk. 2022. Peter Wray. [online] Available at: <https://www.riverbankgallery.co.uk/peter-wray/> [Accessed 29 January 2022].

As before developing my sketchbook work, personal voice and use of language when writing are still areas I am working on.