Artist Research

For the summer project I have been exploring highgate cemetery; drawing it from imagination; from life and from memory. While struggling to imagine highgate cemetery, I read "My fearful symmetry" for research. The book is a story of two symmetrical(not identical) twins who live by highgate cemetery. After reading the book and following on from my interest in pattern making, symetry and repetition, I want to make symetrical patterns based on my drawings and memories from the cemetery. As the images are reflected I also want them to fade slightly away. This is because of the twins in the book(spoiler alert). The twin Julia dominates Valentina; tries to control her; stops her from going to university because she wants them to be the same; to remain reflections of each other forever. In doing this she pushes Valentina away; and eventually dies trying to get away from Julia. I want my patterns to be a metaphor for the story which is why I want each time symmetry to happen; the image to fade away a bit....The following images are artworks which have used symmetry and processes which I may want to use in this project....

Daniel Eatock - Pen paintings

This is a process I definatley want to explore. Using pro markers he makes repeated patterns by letting the markers bleed through the pages. I like this process because it creates the fading away effect that I want. 

 

Daniel Eatock - Marker Marks

These pieces use a similar process; he leaves the paper on top of the pens and lets them bleed through leaving marks and patterns.

 Christopher Turner - Blots

 What we used to do at pre school - squashing a painting together to make is symmetrical - again this could be a nice process for this project because the more you squash the images together the more it fades from the original image.

Corneilia Parker - Pornographic drawing

Summer Research

New forest pony drawing:

Been getting used to these faber castell pens over the summer. The one I did this drawing with I particularly like; I think it is SB. It feels just like a brush with ink.

                                                           Henna:
Also have been experimenting with henna this summer...its a fun way to create patterns I think.

Block Printing:

Am experimenting with block printing as research for my IPS. I think I want to create repeat patterns in this way as it mimics how William Morris would have worked (have been reading a lot more about him and he is becoming an inspiration) and is similar to my previous work with stamp making.

Thinking more about decoration for both my IPS and dissertation, I decided to observ decorations I see in everyday life in homes: 

Block printing:

Exploring other printmaking methods that can be done at home to create repeat patterns:

This one was done by carving shapes into a rolling pin; rolling it through ink and then on paper.

These more abstract shapes were created by sticking things onto the rolling pin and using it in the same way:

For my summer project I am researching highgate cemetery. For research I went to a life drawing session at the tower hamlets cemetery.A couple of my drawings from the event were featured on this blog: https://charoigne.wordpress.com/2015/07/30/shuffle-on-this-mortal-coil/

..here is a memory drawing of that event to help me imagine highgate....Its don't with ink and faber castell pens.

After visiting highgate cemetery I made some stamps to help remember the shapes of graves and plants there:

A drawing done of Primrose hill:

 This was a nice day, it was sunny and everyone (including me) was having a picnic. I like the paths there and the people getting smaller as you look down the hill...

More memory drawing of highgate using ink and stamps:

Visit to the Tate Modern and Bankside Gallery thinking about pattern making and decorative arts:

Reading about William Morris:

I love his values on decoration being used as "art for all".

Becoming interested in upholstery:

Checking out what can be done with it on instagram...

Spent a day at a brewery labelling the beer we have brewed for fundraising and helped them design a leaflet while we were there:

Put some posters up about it too:

More instagram research of patterns:

I like this design bellow a lot, I feel like after experimenting with photoshop this summer as well I can understand how it was done!

More drawing decorative items as research: 

More instagram research of decorative items:

More drawing decorative items as research: 

More instagram research of decorative items:

More drawing decorative items as research: 

More instagram research of decorative items:

Henna while on the Camino de Santiago:

We spent two weeks following this symbol to help us find our way along the Camino. I thought about how this could be a good example of how decoration becomes functional.

Quote about dismaland from Banksy. I like how he says that we should not like or dislike something just because it is popular. Just like what you actually like.

A seat cover I upholstered; researching decoration:

Drawings from the Cameno de Santiago:

Dissertation Research:

Exhibition in Peckham of decorative arts:

I like seeing decorations in an exhibition space...It shows that decoration and art is a spectrum and many works fall somewhere between...

Dismaland:

I like these works a lot as well because they play on the idea of ornamentation...

Instagram research...

Bathtub drawing:

Highgate cemetery visit:

When I was drawing in the cemetery, i tried to do what i did on the camino, and draw while walking. I came out with these scruffy careless marks similar to this artist I found on instagram...

Visit to Liberty:

I love looking at William Morris' patterns and seeing how they were designed is similar to how I have been working with linocuts makes me hopeful that I am on the right track.