About time I got myself a profile picture!

Just made a pro-pho! This is my self-portrait picture. It represents me being happy! My friend took the photograph for me against a purple background because it is my favourite colour. My charm bracelet is on my wrist. The charms symbolize the different events in my life, they symbolize meeeee!

The Purple Corner...

This is where it all happens! It is soooo Purple!

I used three shades of dripping paint to recreate a shape I saw from the paper sculpture ball. It is interesting because of the way the paint moved and merged into the different shades of purple.

 I really like the idea of paint dripping and having the control to move it in different directions but yet having not quite enough control to foresee the end product. I wanted a more subtle background for my spirals so I used the paint dripping and merging into one another but with very pale whites and pinks.

I much prefer this spiral collage painting because I used the paper sculpture ball to help me composition the spirals and gave a slight raise to some of the the collage pieces. It helped create more movement and motion.

Painting in a different nature...

This is a collage painting inspired by artist, Beatriz Milhazes. It has a very simplistic, smooth finish technique. I cut the shapes from different coloured purple sheets that I previously painted. The shapes were cut from the shapes that the photocopy (on the left) translated from the paper sculptures!

These are white plastic pom poms that are hanging in my studio space. I thought these were interesting in relation to this part of my project because I used them to examine the purple hues and the reflections from the plastic.

This is another painting of mine with the paper sculpture designs in mind. I put a layer of PVA glue and dark purple paint onto a black background. While it was still wet, to experiment, I scrope off some of the glue and paint. My favourite thing about the painting is when the excess paint from the scraping was left on the page, there were purple colours that merged together.

Adding a Touch of Colour!

I decided that it was time to introduce some colour to my mainly black and white project! I chose purple because the more I looked at my paper sculptures, the more  I began to see purple and blue hues.

I also engaged with the colour through the medium of paint/mark making. It was no longer the time for typical painting with brushes so I learned some innovative ways! I researched the work of artist, Beatrice Milhazes. She paints on plastic and metals and then, cuts these into shapes to make a collage painting. I was working on this during the week and will continue with it next week. I also attended a mark-making workshop with two tutors, Sylvia and Grainne, who encouraged me to use tools such as rollers and bamboo canes to make marks. I am fascinated by transparent paper which I used to make the marks. This type of paper works excellently because it reminds me of the original concept of the dandelion and its transparent nature when it is in the clock stage.

I also left paint at different thicknesses and various shades of purple splash on a page. I loved the result because the splashes gave the effect of the dandelion clock's movement when they are blown.

Black and White

These charcoal and chalk drawings are human size. It was very new to me to produce work so large and I reminded myself of Monet when he painted ioon such a large scale that he dug a trench in his garden to allow movement of the painting. I moved the drawings up and down so i could draw more detailed at my own level. The black and white/white and black contrast was very successful. But now, it is a case of onwards and upwards for the introduction of colour!!

Inside the little world...

I took some photos of inside the paper sculpture as well as recording by video. I found the stills fascinating  because with every movement of the camera I got a completely different perspective of the paper sculpture. I used different lighting situations to create different effects...

I began using the by product of all the paper cuttings used to make the mini sculptures. I draped it on the main sculpture...

It added another layer to the sculpture and this created extra movement.

I hung the by product together and began sketching it this week...

A world of its own...

Make a wish...

Sixty one paper dandelion clocks are suspended in my studio space... I have photographed and recorded them in different ways. To me, they are dancers twirling and colliding with one another. Their circular form captures the original idea of dandelions. Each one is unique with its own elegance and grace. I surrounded the sculpture in a contrasting black background. I mentioned in last week's post that they are suspended with black wire. I built up some areas of the wire by twisting another layer of wire around it and creating a twirling effect. I wanted the wire to be more prominent because I am fascinated by the curving, almost spiral like stem of a dandelion. My laptop is on the way for my birthday so I hope to upload the photos soon!! I also mastered the art of making pom poms this week using white plastic bags as a material source. I love the material's softness and flexibility. Not to mention learning how to finger knit so it has been a constructive week!

Some photos of previous work

Paper sculpture construction...

Bigger scale sculpture...

Two toned paper sculptures...

Some colour studies of the paper sculptures...

Paper sculpture

I have been working with the scale and colour dimensions to my paper inspired dandelions but eventually, I decided that I best liked the delicacy of the smallest paper sculptures. I have compiled many mini sculptures and I am currently suspending them on wire. The wire gives a curling effect capturing the dandelion stem pleasantly. I also explored some different styles of paper cutting during the week but plan on using some other materials next week such as plastic. The leftover paper from the cut outs left me a very interesting hanging piece also

Photos i took this week!