sculpture – A DEAD LETTER

Finishing the full body in Perspex – Studio Practice

9 February 202211 March 2022Dead Roses

Studio Practice

from the last post and this one, there was a major shift within my insight in this project and my ideas, i am making another post to explain this. this post is very chaotic so i want to make another one to clear things up and also explain what my thoughts are right now.

When slowly adding the pieces to the Perspex it was a lot of planning and then last min just doing it instead of trying to be so controlling over it. this really helped me to take more risks and in the end gave a better result, for example last minute i decided to cut the front of the chest piece off so it could be partly though the sheet. when gluing it on i had to move the whole sheet and hold it while glueing it, this lead to the chest being put on slightly wrong but in the end made it look even more like it was being pulled. when i noticed ti was on wrong i decided to take the chance and left it on wrong and it worked really well.

i decided i wanted this piece and the foot within perspex to go into the second year galley, this really helped me develop this piece more as i knew i wouldn’t have the time to make a full body so i started to look for a way to complete the piece in a more interesting way than just a body. this led to me looking for more artist inspiration and i also thought about Greek sculptures and how they are presented in gallery’s. (when they are missing limbs).

this lead to a really interesting turn to this piece and i feel made it better in terms of fine art than my original plan. i love this piece as i feel it what’s has started my new development and what has really made my project better, but it needs work as its too heavy for itself so over time it breaks itself (although this is an interesting this that it breaks itself over time and i will possible look into this more as well). as i have looked at this work more i will be looking into more living plants but also more interesting ways to present the work other than just having a full body, this will include single limbs, smaller limbs and planting in the limbs.

Whole Body in Perspex – Studio Practice

8 February 202211 March 2022Dead Roses

Studio Practice

when in the process of making this piece, there was a lot of challenges that forced me to take risks. this meant losing control and as much as i hated it, but in the end this meant i had a lot more fun making the piece but i also treated it much more experimental and just did what i felt was right at the time. the plans really did help with the making of this piece as even thought it was experimenting it was still a big task. below is the process of making this piece.

before i started to add any casts to the perspex i planed how the shape and positions i want the limbs to be on the protecting sheets, this was a mistke as mush as it wasn’t. i forgot once i take the sheets off i wont be able to see it but it still did help. once i had learnt that taking the sheets off lost the plan i made the plans on the wall at the back so they would be there constantly just not physically on the Perspex. i messured the plan with my own body as the limbs were sized to my own body this mean i stood infront and behind the prospect messured where my limbs where when in the perstion i liked.

the way i found a position i liked was by getting another student to pull me over so i would fall, giving my body the natural positions of being pulled. he pulled me the same way i want this person to look this was the best way to get the positioned i wanted and i filmed it. below is photos to get the positions.

after i decided how i wanted the limbs taking inspiration off the photos above, i started to create the limbs using my own. how i create the limbs is i position my legs how they are in the photos and then put the cast around my legs in the positions, i then cut down one side of the legs and glue it back together as this is the easiest way to get it off. below are some photos of how i make the casts.

i also did hot glue gun the parts so far to the perspex and it has been working, so i am going o carry it on. there was a problem with using the fishing wire as the art work is slowly becoming to heavy for the wire to hold it so i am going to have to find better way to hold the art work up. this will slwoly become more of a problem but there will be a way to fix it even if i have to make a stand for it rather than hanging it.

there was so many thing i had to over come with this peiec yet it has also given me alot more ideas on how i can deveplo this more, even thought i haven’t finished i do feel the rectangle perspex is still contraiting the piece so when i am finished with this i feel i will move away from hacing a strict shape with the materials or just completely get ride of them, and possibly have the limbs free hanging. there will be a part 2 for making this piece.

Plans for developing string legs – Studio Practice

2 February 202211 March 2022Dead Roses

studio practice – plans

After I stuck the string legs to the wall, it gave me the idea of having them stuck to something you can not see. I thought of putting them on Perspex so that you can see the pieces of art from both sides, this gave me the idea of what if the leg was going thought the Perspex to use the transparency to the fullest. i have made a plan for what i want to try and do, but i have no idea if it will work well or be a mess but i am going to try it anyway.

When making these plans i had only planned for the cutting of the cast at this point even thought there is the flowers in this photo. i originally planned for the foot to go through the Perspex. when doing this plan the casting the process of applying the string and drying it worked really well.

i used my own leg and then wrapped it in cling film, then i added string to a tub of super-glue and wrapped it around my leg. i added more glue as a final layer before letting it dry. after blow drying the cast, i cut it off while it was still slightly moveable still. i cut it while it was still a little wet so i wont be able to manipulate it off my foot instead of having to cut the whole cast to get it off. i planned how i cut it off so the cut line would be how i want to glue it on the perspex, this worked really well and gave the ending a really good result.

this was the result, i am really happy with how it turned out. it gives a really good effect of going through the Perspex. i hot glue gunned the cast to the sheet as carefully as i could as i didn’t want to be able to see glue everywhere, this held the cast on really well and its really sturdy. Once i had took a step back i thought there was something missing, so i started to add flowers just to see how it would look. After adding a few i really liked it and felt it would convey my idea in a more interesting way than just having string as it gave the effect the flowers where growing through the string. below is the result of the piece.

Another thing i was playing around with while making this piece is how i could possibly present the piece. this meant trying out on how well i could drill into the Perspex so be able to hang the piece with fishing wire so that its not so easily seen. the only problem with the piece is that the Perspex has to be cleaned to get finger makes off and then kept being cleaned due to the static and dust collecting on it. i want to develop on this idea and i have made plans that i will post on the next blog.

sculpture – mushroom world (head space p2)

22 January 202122 October 2021Dead Roses

Sculpture

These photos are from making the 3D piece of work, I found this easier than i though but then I had to take it home due to covid and it got smashed from the journey. This made recreating the work very hard.

As I already had the painting done as it was partly an experiment for the next piece, I got a piece of MDF that was the right size and marked out the pilot holes into the canvas. then I started using clay to for the back of the “earth”. I tried to smudge it on the board to it would stick (it didn’t). then I used some of the mushroom I had made to stick in the clay, this was easier as i had added nails into the bottom of them. I did also make new mushrooms which I painted and them dried when I was at the accommodation.

I added the mushrooms and other materials onto the clay (grass is from fake flowers, water is melted crayons, mud is crushed clay and super glue to make it look wet, mushrooms thick leaves, stumps and rocks are all clay) I let the whole thing dry.

I used a mixture of water colours and acrylic to make vibrate colours to paint the clay. i should have cut the board before adding the clay because i wanted the middle (empty) bit out but decided to paint it as the clay was to delicate to saw the wood.

This is the finish look of the work I am really happy with out it has turned out and i feel the 3d element makes the work more inviting.

the idea behind this is how someone who takes drugs to escape realty might see their head space, and they have to take a very long path to get back to real life. the bright colours and friend look is to show how they like being away from reality and in a sense going back to life is like going to the light when your dying.

Cps – Artist Statement

14 December 202022 October 2021Dead Roses

My work explores many controversial subjects, this includes how I feel/ what I am going through. A lot of my work looks into the relations between life and death but also the beauty and ugliness of them.

I’m influenced by human biology and emotions and nature. Things I research are finding out how the body works/looks, also on how the mind can be. Sometimes also religion. my art includes using nature to show the good and bad within humans. I like to use any medium to get my context across, This can cause many debates around my works.

Some big artist influence are; Andy Goldsworthy, Travis Bedel, Sun Hyuk Kim. as they work around the same ideas that I do.

Growth 14.12.2020 (Name)

The sculptures are three clay heads from the smallest being 2.5cm x2.7cm to the biggest being 11cm x 8cm. They are plain but have the contrast of the bright plants. The materials I used within the piece is clay and natural materials.

The context of the piece is how a headspace can change. This shows three stages of life; young , teenager and adult. Something that informed the work is life experience. I though about how my younger self felt about herself, then I though about how she feels now.

This work is different from pasts art is this is a series when normally I would have one final piece. Also Most my work is mix-medium but I forced on sculptor for this. I could make new improvements by scaling up the heads. this would allow for more expression through the plants.

I feel my art is intended for everyone but I defiantly feel adults will understand more. As i feel a younger mind wont yet understand who they are or the growth of the mind when you get older.

Sculpture – leaving My Head.

2 December 202022 October 2021Dead Roses

Sculpture

As I have been looking into head space within in sculpture, I have decided to look into both how I feel and what I image. When thinking about being inside my head I used music a lot to escape it. The piece started as a painting of what leaving my mind could look like. It remind me of Kendal Murray. I am going to be look into her more.

To create this piece I started by painting the background, at first I was just thinking of having this painting as an experiment. This is to be understand how to paint a fantasy world (as this was my first time). I wanted to be able to create a better background for my plaster skull. Once I had painted this, it then developed into a more relief piece. Due to wanted to have a lot more control within making the mushrooms and landscape, I used clay instead of plaster. The water within the artwork is made from melted crayons.

I am now going to paint and complete the plaster skull I have made.

CPS – Inside of Art Body Art

29 November 202022 October 2021Dead Roses

Contextual and professional studies

An Article from the ‘MoMAlearning |The Body in Art”

This talks about how in the 1960s and 1970s the female form where being used within the western art, within this time women where claiming back their bodies within their art.

This site gives information about The Nouveau Realisme, where the artists started to look into using their bodies to preform art. This was both through photography’s and performances. One piece involved naked women painted the canvas with their bodies.

Artist That Use Body Art…..

Yves Klein

Yves uses bodies a lot as his paintbrush. he uses the body to express his art and also to show within photos. his use with the body is very inspiring as this is a new and developed way of using the body within art.

Carolee Shneeman

Carolee Schneemann e il mercato | Artribune

This video is Carolee explaining why she thought of this method of making her art. She does not consider herself a body performer but her performances have a sense of intimacy.

Japan’s Gutai group

This is a group of artist founded after the war in japan. it was formed in 1954 by Jiro Yoshihara. The younger artist within this group looked in to body art.

This video talks about a range of this artist work. also how/why she made them.

Design, Advertising & Creative Inspiration – Digital Synopsis

Sadamasa Motonaga (1922 – 2011) | Work | abstract, All other categories of objects | Christie’s

SADAMASA MOTONAGA (JAPANESE, 1922-2011) | TAPA TAPA | Paintings, Modern | Christie’s

Sakuhin, 1964 – Sadamasa Motonaga – WikiArt.org

Metaphor and Art

‘Action Painting’ gets us in a mess. (creativepool.com)

Being an artist: Janine Antoni – Active Voice (anniepaul.net)

The Beautiful Trap: Janine Antoni’s Body Art – Border Crossings Magazine

Sadamasa Motonaga (1922 – 2011) | WORK, 1961 | abstract, All other categories of objects | Christie’s

Sculpture – skulls plaster mould.

25 November 202022 October 2021Dead Roses

Sculpture

The post before this shows how I have planned to make a skull and head out of plaster(I have also made a mini clay skull).On Sunday night I made a mould out of tin foil and masking tape, to be able to pure the plaster in.

Making The Mould…..

This is the possess of me making the skull, At first I was only going to make one half and then I decided to do the full skull as I wanted to carry on with the idea of having the mushrooms inside the skull so I going to use this doe skull to carry out that idea.

For this I made sure that the sides would line up and be able to look like a whole skull. My plan is to make a thick plaster that I can put on with my hands to the shape will be hollow, but I don’t know if it will be strong enough.

This was a lot harder to make than I thought it would be but it did end up working and holding shape in the end so after taking off the skull I was really happy with the look of it.

Doing The Plaster…..

These are some photos of the plaster being put into the moulds, at first I really wasn’t sure if it would take the weight of the plaster but it ended up holding really well.

I made one lot of thick plaster that I used my hand to layer onto the mould, next I made a thinner plaster but not much thinner and then I used some rope netting ( ) so I would put the netting into the plaster and then add it onto the dried thicker layer. This would give it a good and strong shape.

I waited two hours to take it out as I didn’t want it to break. it came out with a really good shape. it isn’t perfect but I do think it was better than I thought it would be. the edges are very ruff but I do like this as it makes a natural decay look so I can put the mushrooms inside and you have to look around the sculpture to get to see the insides.

My next post will be me paintings and adding in the mushrooms and other things.

Sculpture – making a little skull (human) out of clay

25 November 202022 October 2021Dead Roses

Sculpture

I wanted to try and make a little skull before making a bigger one, I am going to make it out of clay and see how well I can do it and if I want to then make it bigger out of clay. I also want to try and make a head out of clay, so I could possible make a mould out of it and then have a plaster head. Or I could get as statues head and then go to plastics and get it vacuumed and then that could be my mould for the plaster.

My Mini Skull…..

This is how it turned put I didn’t do the back of the skull as I did find it hard on a small scale but I think it would be better as a bigger skull. I do think an animal skull might work a bit better with an animal skull so I’m going to make a mould of a doe skull.

I started with a ball of clay and then used a metal tool, to then mark out the shapes then I started to remove the clay. It was a simple way of making the the skull and i do like the outcome, even though I do think it could have been better.

I do want to try a bigger scale as I believe it will be easier.

Sculpture – mushrooms

25 November 202022 October 2021Dead Roses

Sculpture

I manged to bring clay back to be able to make the mushrooms, i started by looking at some reference photos and shaped them. I am so happy with how they turned out.

Making the first one I found a hard as I needed to find a controlled and logical way of making them, once I had made the first mushroom I found my way I liked to do them. This meant that I started to make them faster and tried different styles.

I started getting a lump of clay to make the cap (the top of the mushroom). From this I would then use slip to add in the stem. Once the stem was on I would add the gills (lines under the cap). Then I would add the skirt (little bit coming off the stem.

I used a craft knife and scalpel to make form and markings.

painting the mushrooms…..

I dried the mushrooms on my radiator at my accommodation, I did end up braking one but it was very thin anyway so probably wouldn’t have worked. The ones that did work I manged to paint and I am so happy with how they look.

I painted these by starting painting them white to get a good base colour. Then I went in to the stem with a grey to give it a more natural look and some of them with brown and also black.

Then I started to paint the gills I used white and then I when in with grey and black to show the lighting would be above them. This was just to make the look even better than just having it white.

To finish the look, i went in with white on the cap and then started to add a light brown all over but not tasking care at the very edges as some apart can be white. when the lighter brown was on, I then went in with a slightly darker brown in the middle to give it a better look. As nature is not perfect I then also added random white and black marks to the cap.

This was the main basses of how I made all the mushrooms, I am so happy with them and think they look so realistic. I might be making more but not sure yet.

The Final Look…..