Drawing with string - experimental materials

For the experimental materials project I have chosen to record the model's form using string/ thread and tape and record the precess by taking photos and then making them into a stop motion.

I like how the shadow of the string makes its own lines; this is something I would like to further explore.

This is the video I made of the photos I took in today's class. I find that it is most successful when I take photos after each piece of tape I stick to the string. You get to see the figure evolve and appear. I made some colour corrections to make the colours a bit more vibrant and add some contrast. I think I will just continue building on this video and see where it takes me. When finished, I could project the film onto the used tape and string. Unfortunately, the resolution of the images is not that great and the video looks quite pixilated. Not sure how I would be able to solve that problem.

Experimental materials - part 1

Warm ups

Warm ups

Warm ups

Warm ups

Blind contour

Exploring movement

This one was first drawn and then torn and reassembled and the same pose was redrawn over the top.

This one was a collaborative piece involving everyone with electrical tape to use the tape to record the model's form.

The above exercise was also done using masking tape on the floor.

Mark Bradford (1961 - )

Looking at his surroundings, Bradford looks through the many layers of discarded papers to find recycled memories. He explores the many different layers of living in the black community. He picks and scrapes the signs off  the walls and gates. Those collections of papers are his resource materials to create large colleges that take on the look of large scale paintings.  Bradford is proud to say he entered the art world through the doors of his mother’s beauty salon. He attributes making her salon signs as the first steps in becoming a “MAKER”, not just an artist. Starting out, Bradford said he had no idea about abstract-expressionism? Or who Bell Hooks or Cornell West were? Grad school was were he discovered  artists through reading, writing, theory, and art practice. Although grad school has a heavy work load and tests the strength of artist it is a great foundation and door to walk through to the world of art makers. The balance is and can be accomplished. Mark Bradford has achieved it. - Retrieved from this link

Britta Lumer (1965 - )

Lumer's use of ink and water is particularly ghostly and quite dysgraphic. Her work is also quite textural, with the brush strokes visible. 

Robin Rhode (1976 - )

Rhode works with street art and performance art, creating a comic book-esque animation/ story by incorporating and body into a drawn story. I love the narrative that he creates and how he plays upon movement.

From this link

From this link

From this link

From this link

From this link

From this link

Wardell Milan (1978 - )

Milan is a prime example of dysgraphic representation of the figure. He subtly uses charcoal and gouache, getting interesting textures and tonal variation. Note his minimal use of line and how he largely blocks in the form with bold strokes.

From this link

From this link

From this link

From this link

From this link

Monika Grzymala (1970 - )

Grzymala makes three dimensional drawings using electrical tape stuck to the walls of the gallery space. The tape looks similar to crosshatching or line drawings. There is definitely tonal variation. There is an energy visible in the "drawings", maybe having something to do with how the tape is stretched tautly across the space.

From this link

From this link

From this link

From this link

From this link

What experimental materials can you use to make art?

• Toothbrush
• Shoes
• Knitting/ sewing/ crocheting
• Wire
• Blue tack
• Foam/ cardboard
• Tape
• Sticks/ brooms
• Light
• Ribbons
• String/ thread

Today's class - dysgraphia part 3

Warm up drawings

Warm up drawings

Warm up drawings

Warm up drawing

Warm up drawing - blind contour drawing

In this drawing, we had to study the pose for about 10 seconds then close our eyes and draw what we remembered. Tricky because as soon as I shut my eyes I forgot how the model was posing!

This was a series of poses drawn to capture the movement of the poses.

Covered the whole sheet in charcoal (accidentally conte) and then drew with an eraser, mapping the highlights seen in the pose.

I think this drawing is quite successful. This was drawn from a 20 min pose, focusing on the key word deskilling. I used various deskilling techniques, such as drawing without looking at the paper and continuous line.

In this drawing I focused on dysgraphia/ deskilling, drawing with continuous line without looking at the paper and then coming back in and erasing/ smudging the model's form. Not sure how good looking the drawing is but I think it is quite successful in exploring the theme of dysgraphia/ deskilling.

In this drawing I was looking at distortion. With blind contour, I drew the form first landscape then flipped the page into portrait. 

Deskilling, dysgraphia, distortion and fragmentation - part 2

One minute warm up poses

One minute warm up poses

This one is two poses morphed together, drawn with the medium on its side and then with short sharp lines.

Looking at shapes, negative space, blocking in and continuous blind contour.

This one was a series of poses drawn over the top of each other. There is certainly a feeling of animation and movement.

This drawing of the figure was based on academic mimesis.

This drawing was first based on academic mimesis and then we were given instructions to make the drawing dysgraphic, by doing blind continuous line and long vertical lines.

This pose was drawn mimetically and then the last minute was done blind.

This pose was drawn mimetically and then the last minute was done blind.

Interesting shape when tearing out the model's features.

Interesting shape when tearing out the model's features.

This was focusing on fragmenting the model's form by using previous drawings and tearing them up in order to document the new existing pose.

This drawing was focusing on deskilling. Not sure how successful it is.

This drawing was focusing on distorting by using blind continuous line and drawing with non dominant hand.

This drawing was focusing on distorting by morphing two individual poses together.