I’m lurching towards the end of my art course – it will have lasted two years in the summer, and I’ve enjoyed every minute. But perhaps it’s best if we don’t mention still life or carrot people paintings…
The unit we are doing now, and which will carry us through to the final term is planning and producing a portfolio. I think it’s probably not a great time to be uber-experimental and to try things I’m not used to; but the contrary part of me goes. “oooh – portfolio! The biggest part of our course! Let’s go waaaaaay off piste and do something rad…” So of course, that’s what I’m doing.
Currently I have a beautifully presented research journal and a stack of ‘artwork’ that would look better decorating the inside of a recycling bin.
I chose to merge Art Deco styling with Fairytales, Mythology and the Gothic. Sounds great, yes? But sadly, I’m not loving my work so far. My fairytale girl looks like something a ten year old drew (I have been accused of that in the past); my mythology goddess is a very simple collage and line drawing; and my Gothic efforts comprise of lots of grungy blobs on bits of paper as I try to get to grips with gelli plate printing, block printing and fake lithography – which I’ve never done before, but saw someone do it and went oooooh – must try.
In my defence, we had to study artists to base our work on. I chose Louis Icart for Fairytales, Aubrey Beardsley for Mythology, and Edna Clarke Hall for Gothic. So my work is very much in their styles. I have put some of their gorgeous artwork in this post; but I won’t be sharing mine just yet!
Icart did some incredible line and wash fairytale illustrations, Beardsley was renowned for his pen and ink line drawings, and Clarke Hall was famous for doing many, many obsessive pictures of Cathy from Wuthering Heights in all sorts of different media, including lithograph printing. If you know me, you’ll know my favourite book is Wuthering Heights, so it has to be done. I saw one of Clarke Hall’s paintings at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, at the WOW (Women Only Works) exhibition, and was entranced. She was a perfect person to study for this project, and the coloured picture of the young girl I share here is the one from the exhibition.
I shall keep you posted on how my project goes; but don’t expect me to share my own attempts at the artwork for quite some time!
Rosethorn Ramblings 