Author: saravipond

Unit 3 Model Studies

Seeing Sound:

Tactile Self Portrait:

Hand Drawing:

Skull Study:

Model Session 1

Gesture Drawing:

Sequential gesture:

Continous Contor:

Tonal Values:

Variation of Line and area for Tones:

Tonal Value Brown Paper:

Expressive Colour:

I was sick and missed Model Session 2

Unconventional Drawing and Media are part of this challenge. I had all ready explored this in my sketchbook while developing a theme and idea for Project 1.

The concept of putting drawings in boxes intrigues me. I am going to create some diorama drawings within wooden boxes. Beeswax will also be present.

Portfolio Theme Development

Project Intent – Developing a theme or concept to be used throughout the assignments. Things that interest me are:

• Surrealism and dreams: I have a massive interior world
• Mythology and Folklore: Goes hand in hand with my dreamscapes.
• Identity and Self-Portraiture: I never lived a normal life. I have always been a bit on the outside. Different from the Mainstream. My art reflects that.

Process Journal Page

I have decided that my Thematic Concept will be Identity that will explore some self portraiture. My Thematic Series is titled: Pieces of Me

A list of Artists Working in Thematic Series was presented for us to explore. I looked at them all, and noted what each artist created. Some were very easy to delete right away, others took more exploration and further looking.

I eventually narrowed it down to my 5 favorite artists:

• Shary Boyle, She created surreal drawings that spoke to my own inner dreamscapes
• Betty Goodwin, She used many different found objects for her canvases. Old tarps allowed for giant works of art to be created.
• Sandra Vasquez de la Horra, Used beeswax on her drawings to make them stiff and take a different form.
• Ed Pien, Created amazing spectral drawings and collections of ink = flash, 3 min. drawings.
• Andrea Bowers, Used different/unusual substrates for the base of her art.

I like the idea of using unconventional or found objects for the ‘canvas’ of my drawing. To present something that has been Upcycled. This is exciting me!

Journal Pages

Independent Drawing

The inspiration I am drawing from my artist research of Ronald Kitaj is to use collage, go big on brown paper, and use a familiar face as my subject.

Life moves on and my beloved pug Baby Eve passed away before Easter this year. Such a quiet house and sadness without her.

August arrived with the heat of summer and this little whirling dervish. She keeps me busy all the time. I sneak away from bed in the middle of the night just to get some work done.

Every witch needs a good familiar. Meet Maleficent Judgement Day, aka: Millie.

The perfect time to make some artwork of her!

Project Proposal

Title: Millie

Summary: This piece will be a temporary piece that will adapt to its space. It is a piece of artwork with personal meaning to myself.

Objective: To draw and collage a large scale piece of artwork representing the new dog and its large impact into my life..

Materials: Black cardstock, White cardstock, Drawing paper, Brown paper, Black gold and silver markers, Pencil, Scissors, Tape, Glue, Heavy objects

Timeline

• November 18 Think about and sketch out idea
• Nov 25 Gather supplies and work on project
• Dec 2 Meet with Instructor
• Dec 9 Final critique
• Dec. 11 Reflection and posted to WordPress

Sketchbook drawing and figuring stuff out.

I scanned in my drawing and printed it out on the poster setting. It enlarged from one sheet of 8.5 x 11′ paper to a 16 page spread. (Glad I keep lots of used paper around for printing out big projects.) I added about another 6 inches to the bottom of the drawing to lengthen it. I am unsure if this will be super colorful, or more monotones. I bought a couple of sheets of black paper to use in the darker areas like the head and shoulder areas.

Pattern taped together and cut out.

I taped two pieces of the large drawing paper together for the base. This is similar to making a quilt. You sew your pieces onto your bottom foundation fabric. I will be gluing mine onto this, then gluing the whole thing onto brown paper.

I used the black paper and cut out the large blocks of color.

Weird buggy dog eyes…

Sketchbook pages figuring patterns out. She is my little sunshine!

Drawing in patterns onto the pieces. Starting to glue together some of the parts. I have lost the nose piece twice before it was glued down!

Creating the musical notes that will be on her chest.

Filling in the body area with patterns to represent her brindle markings. Laying the pieces out on the brown paper to get a visual of how it is coming together.

Time to glue on her flash and eyes. Where are the eyes? I can only find one.

“Millie! What are you eating under the table? OMG… I needed that eye. I did not ask for your help on this project”…

Everything stops until I make another eye and Millie is banished to the kitchen.

Everything is glued down to the under paper and cut out. Now it is time to glue this onto the brown paper.

I wrinkled the brown paper to give it more texture. I also had to glue two sheets of brown paper together. The wrinkles disguise the seam down the middle. I covered the whole back of the artwork in white pva glue. I decided not to spread it around but to leave it thick. I figured this might adhere to the wrinkled paper better. Once on the brown paper, I covered it with all sorts of heavy things to weigh it down. I will leave it now to dry for the rest of the day.

Finished drawing on critique day.

Karen Day, Millie, 2024, Mixed paper collage with ink.

Post Critique and reflections

Lots of great feedback from the class. People commented on my lines and patterns. The choice to wrinkle the brown paper did give it added depth. People were captivated by her eyes. One person thought it was ungrounded and needed a border, or more dog body.

I enjoyed this unit as it was far away from model studies. It was fun to play with patterns. In the future, I plan to make this into a quilt for the bed. When I do, I will add a colored boarder around the quilt to give it a framing. As for this huge original, i will have find somewhere to hang it.

Artist Research

Ronald B. Kitaj 1932-2007

Spent early adulthood as a seaman for a freighting company, then a short time in the US army.

Studied at the Akademia der bildenden Kunste in Vienna

The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford UK.

Royal Collage of Art , London UK.

Spent most of the rest of his life in England. Close friends with David Hockney

Suicide at the age of 74 in 2007

Drawing, Collage Painting

Ronald B. Kitaj, Parist, 1997-2000, charcoal on paper with collage, 30.5 x 22 in.

My first impression of this drawing was that it reminded me of the unit 2 technique drawing were we collaged a little thumbprint onto paper and drew around it. Looking at the placement of the collaged ladies face on this man’s groin, I imagine this person stirred his loins. Was it his wife, lover, or a child he conceived? The theme of sexuality is possibly being explored. The title ‘Parist’ may be the last name of the lady in the collage. Charcoal is used for a strong graphic outline on this gesture sketch. Cross hatching adds weight to the figure. The charcoal has been turned on it’s side for long shaded areas. The man has no arm. The upper and lower corners are dark with a light diagonal stripe through the center. The focal point is his crotch. Brown paper is used as the background. I am somewhat disturbed by this picture.

Ronald B. Kitaj, Sarah’s Back, 1984, charcoal and pastel on paper, 30.6 x 22.5 in.

My first impression of this drawing was the model has ‘man arms and hands’. You can tell this was done in 1985 due to the watch. The subject seems to be a model study of a ladies back. He was working on his pastel skills during this time in Paris. Again brown paper is used . This is a very representative drawing. It reminds me of our live model sessions. The title ‘Sarah’s Back’ is literal. Once again we see the dark outline of the figure. There is some shading of anatomy in the back and arms. This adds shape and curvature to the drawing. Color was introduced to the blanket, watch and background. I wonder if it was a Swatch?

Ronald B. Kitaj, Self Portrait (After Freud’s Second Painting of Me), 2000-2004, Charcoal on paper, 30.75 x 22.5 in. Once again we see a large self portrait drawing on brown paper. Hard dark strokes are used with an addition of color around the face and strong white in the beard. He is refering to the artist Lucian Freud who was an english portrait artist. I find this painting to be chaotic and all over the place. He did place the eyes 1/3 down from the top following that principle. So much volume concentrated in the middle portion of this drawing. I think it weighs it down and gives it a heavy feeling.

Ronald B. Kitaj, Dominie at San Feliu, 1978, pastel and charcoal on paper, 21.4 x 15.4 in.

My first impression is that this is a nice soft portrait of a young girl. Dominie was Ronalds adopted daughter from his first marriage. He often used friends and family while honing his drawing skills.

Works Cited

https://www.artnet.com/artists/rb-kitaj/dominie-at-san-fel%C3%ADu-a-ev2Wyr6QSwOtsLDYu2R58Q2

https://www.artnet.com/artists/rb-kitaj/study-for-the-rock-garden-old-man-a-Eubhj3BZyb2yUMsJWn-ybw2

https://www.britishartfair.co.uk/british-art-news/rb-kitaj-dominie-at-san-felu-1978

www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/kitaj-ronald-brooks-after-baudelaire-1988-423-c-fbb48ada8c

http://rbkitaj.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._B._Kitaj

Continuous Line Portraits

Our very first class had the medium back in our hands. Jumping right in, we were tasked to do a split line/hand continuous drawing of our partner. I found this to be challenging on many levels. I still feel self conscious in the studio. Part PTSD, part self doubt. I find it hard to split my brain as I spend most of my time trying to keep my brain together. It was interesting to see which hand was dominate at which times. It also can take me time to get collected and started. I felt rushed during this excercise.

My partner Ann . 3 Split Drawings

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We were then given the assignment to create a split continuous line self portrait using two colors. after drawing, the white background was then to be filled in with a pattern.

I chose to use a magenta and a blue wax crayon for my drawing. After it was done, I switched to color pastel and pencil for the background. A joint was collaged on along with some white fluff to create some smoke. A little red glitter was glued to the tip.

I didnt like my portrait.

Lets hear what the class and Instructor have to say about ways to improve what I have drawn:

• Soften the shoulder line behind the hair
• Fix between the neck and the hair.
• Amplify the hair in areas
• Fix the torso color all the way to the edge.

Karen Day. Self Portrait. 2024. 24″x35″ Paper, wax crayon, chalk pastel, glitter, polyester batting.