Thursday, January 25, 2007

Space ...






Spring term Week 3 at Art School

At the end of last week, we were given our promts for the following week's project. Basically we were provided with seven pictures (mostly photographs, and one painting) from which we were to pick one and make a body of work inspired by that picture. I picked the picture on the left. Of the seven given it was the one that jumped out at me first, but by the time I had got home, I couldn't find any inspiration in it. We had also been told to try and fit our piece(s) towards what type of degree course me might be aiming for (in my case illustration) - as we are trying to generate material for portfolio interviews.

For a while I was intrigued by the guy in the corner's almost-catseye glasses, which reminded me very much of Dame Edna Everage. I thought of maybe doing a large poster-type thing with Dame Edna sending out a message of "Are there any possums out these?" via a gaily decorated satellite dish, and putting some funky-glasses wearing spaceships, rockets and aliens, and possums in spacesuits. Unfortunately that prooved difficult as I don't really have much cartoon drawing skills. Also, looking after a very ill Sunshine over most of the week meant that I just couldn't concentrate on the work.

On Wednesday evening, in a last ditch attempt at getting inspired I did the four little drawings above based on the idea of SPACE. They were framed in old CD cases for display. I'm not very happy with them as finished pieces, but at least it meant I had something to show today. We've been given another week to work on further pieces based on this or to expand on the pieces we've already made so maybe there's hope yet. I've also picked up copies of the other six source pictures, just incase I get really stumped.

I've got a serious case of artists-block this last week, and also have been feeling quite lacking in self confidance about being able to actually make it onto an illustration course, and going down that career route. It's no fun being miserable. I hope I snap out of it soon!

4 comments:

Maggie said...

Your drawings are delightful - I'm sure you will "get back into things" soon and make great pictures (sorry, not how I want to say but ME/CFS brainfog kicking in) on your topic for next week.

You are an inspiration. :-)

I hope Sunshine feels better soon - there's a really rotten virus going around at the mo. Leaves you with a nasty cough that goes on for ages (still not over it and I had the thing in November).

Best wishes to both of you from Liverpool!

Maggie

Anonymous said...

I've looked at several blogs tonight....and it seems you are not alone in the artist-block. The important thing to remember is that it will pass and you WILL get your self-confidence back. It's extremely frustrating in the meantime though! I know because I am there quite often!

I like the fact that you presented these in CD cases, such a clever format. Plus, the words you chose to go along with your images are very nice.

Your work continues to be an inspiration for me as well.

Maggie said...

You may have seen this already, but the Tate is doing various courses over Feb, and I thought you might be interested in the one called Science and Art. How to Understand Failure and Accident?
Wednesday 7 February 2007, 18.30–20.00 pm
http://preview.tinyurl.com/3dghm9

Thanks for visiting my blog, sorry to hear about the tonsillitis - make sure he takes things very easy for some time after symptoms clear - these things can leave you feeling kind of weak and frail for a long time. And it's important to give the body time to recover gently.

Not so sure I have fingers that green - you only get to see my successes on my blog! Have a feeling the tubers I've been planting over the last week will all lay down and die! Fingers crossed - they are anemones so would be super to draw!

Kerstin Klein said...

the white on the dark background looks great.