The painting up till now.
The painting unbuilt on. 
The shapes composition I based the painting on.
Saturday 28 April 2007
Painting and Sculpture Shapes Piece
The painting up till now.The painting unbuilt on. The shapes composition I based the painting on.
Wednesday 25 April 2007
John Berger: Once in a Painting
-In what ways does painting relate to life?
According to John Berger, it is not true that paintings 'preserve a moment' in life. Instead, a painting can imply 'a passage of time' and that the stillness of the captured image 'speaks of timelessness'.
-In what ways is it different to life?
The painted form is 'unchanging', whereas the model is 'dynamic' and 'living'.
-How do you approach the dilemma of making something permanent and still from something that is always in a state of transformation? (even if the object is immobile such as a still life, your perceptions of it constantly change and you are forced to deal with this in some way in the painting...what do you do?)
You approach it with the idea in mind that you are painting for the sake of the 'forseen ideal moment of its being looked at'.
-What do you feel about Berger's statement '(Pictorial art) speaks about the sensuous, the particular and the ephemeral.'
The finished image is timeless, but it depicts the short-lived sensation of life.
-In your experience, when is a painting finished?
When I have done all that I can to capture the chosen 'moment'.
According to John Berger, it is not true that paintings 'preserve a moment' in life. Instead, a painting can imply 'a passage of time' and that the stillness of the captured image 'speaks of timelessness'.
-In what ways is it different to life?
The painted form is 'unchanging', whereas the model is 'dynamic' and 'living'.
-How do you approach the dilemma of making something permanent and still from something that is always in a state of transformation? (even if the object is immobile such as a still life, your perceptions of it constantly change and you are forced to deal with this in some way in the painting...what do you do?)
You approach it with the idea in mind that you are painting for the sake of the 'forseen ideal moment of its being looked at'.
-What do you feel about Berger's statement '(Pictorial art) speaks about the sensuous, the particular and the ephemeral.'
The finished image is timeless, but it depicts the short-lived sensation of life.
-In your experience, when is a painting finished?
When I have done all that I can to capture the chosen 'moment'.
Collings: The Inner Life of Painting
-What does Collings mean when he says that the art of today has no connection to the past 'in any real way' and that painting today is mostly 'visually boring'? Do you agree?
I think he's saying that art today are more full of cheap tricks to shock than anything else, that it's more to do with getting the biggest crowds for probably the wrong reasons. To him, art today contains less depth than art by the Old Masters, but I wouldn't say that painting today is visually boring. After all, being shocked is exciting. Perhaps the painting is shallow in terms of it's 'intentions', but it can still rouse interest in visual terms, I think.
-What attracts you to painting?
A unity of form, colour and marks in an interesting style.
-Is there a particular painter that 'says it all' for you in terms of painting? What are the qualities that make these particular paintings so attractive/compelling/meaningful to you?
Again, it's about the way the whole thing is put together, a sense of harmony. I don't have one particular painter who really does it for me, but I do admire Jenny Saville's pieces, mostly for their interesting compositions and vivid marks.
-What, in your opinion, makes painting different to anything else?
Unlike photography, it's all about interpretation, about seeing how the artist sees its model and how they choose to express it through that particular view. It's the fascination of assigning the same thing to several people and coming back with pieces of work which are completely different to each other and unique to themselves.
I think he's saying that art today are more full of cheap tricks to shock than anything else, that it's more to do with getting the biggest crowds for probably the wrong reasons. To him, art today contains less depth than art by the Old Masters, but I wouldn't say that painting today is visually boring. After all, being shocked is exciting. Perhaps the painting is shallow in terms of it's 'intentions', but it can still rouse interest in visual terms, I think.
-What attracts you to painting?
A unity of form, colour and marks in an interesting style.
-Is there a particular painter that 'says it all' for you in terms of painting? What are the qualities that make these particular paintings so attractive/compelling/meaningful to you?
Again, it's about the way the whole thing is put together, a sense of harmony. I don't have one particular painter who really does it for me, but I do admire Jenny Saville's pieces, mostly for their interesting compositions and vivid marks.
-What, in your opinion, makes painting different to anything else?
Unlike photography, it's all about interpretation, about seeing how the artist sees its model and how they choose to express it through that particular view. It's the fascination of assigning the same thing to several people and coming back with pieces of work which are completely different to each other and unique to themselves.
James Elkins: A Short Course in forgetting chemistry
-Elkin argues that painting is a distinctive medium. In what way does he believe it to be distinctive and would you agree with his defintion?
It is distinctive in the sense that it is like 'alchemy', where 'its materials are worked without knowledge of their properties, by blind experiment, by the feel of the paint'. I pretty much agree with this, since painting requires the process of learning constantly and very much holds an experimental element about it.
-What does Elkin mean when he talks about painting as a form of alchemy?
Like mentioned before, the notion that painting is as experimental as alchemy.
In what ways is the act of painting a physical relationship between the artist and the materials?
-The application of brush to canvas requires force from the body. This includes the making of the brush strokes, each mark of paint. The paint itself is a record of the artist's energy.
It is distinctive in the sense that it is like 'alchemy', where 'its materials are worked without knowledge of their properties, by blind experiment, by the feel of the paint'. I pretty much agree with this, since painting requires the process of learning constantly and very much holds an experimental element about it.
-What does Elkin mean when he talks about painting as a form of alchemy?
Like mentioned before, the notion that painting is as experimental as alchemy.
In what ways is the act of painting a physical relationship between the artist and the materials?
-The application of brush to canvas requires force from the body. This includes the making of the brush strokes, each mark of paint. The paint itself is a record of the artist's energy.
Tuesday 24 April 2007
Film: Caravaggio
-How does Derek Jarman portray Caravaggio?
As a passionate and somewhat obsessive artist, both to his art and models.
-Do you think Derek Jarman is trying to make a point about the relationship between life and art with this film?
I think for Caravaggio, it was about the conflict between life and art, about how an artist can still foster so much passion into his works when the complexity of life is constantly battling for his attention.
-In what ways does Derek Jarman's film mimic the style of Caravaggio? In what ways does the film look like a Caravaggio painting?
There's the use of actors posing as still as an actual painting, with the infamous darkness of the room, the same darkness that is integral to Caravaggio's works.
As a passionate and somewhat obsessive artist, both to his art and models.
-Do you think Derek Jarman is trying to make a point about the relationship between life and art with this film?
I think for Caravaggio, it was about the conflict between life and art, about how an artist can still foster so much passion into his works when the complexity of life is constantly battling for his attention.
-In what ways does Derek Jarman's film mimic the style of Caravaggio? In what ways does the film look like a Caravaggio painting?
There's the use of actors posing as still as an actual painting, with the infamous darkness of the room, the same darkness that is integral to Caravaggio's works.
Monday 23 April 2007
Films: Peter Greenaway, A Walk Through H and Jean-Luc Godard
-In what ways did these films (Peter Greenaway and Jean-Luc Godard)expand your understanding of painting and the relation to the film?
Well I hardly remember the Godard one, but the one by Peter Greenaway pretty much tells me that it's all about art depicting a journey, or the journey of making art.
-If you were to make a film about painting how would you go about it?
Focus on a particular painter of my interest and take a historical view on their lifetime and how particular events signalled developments in their artwork.
-If you were to make a film about a particular painter who would you choose and why?
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, because he seems to have had one heck of an interesting life, and I'd want to explore how this was reflected in his art work.
Well I hardly remember the Godard one, but the one by Peter Greenaway pretty much tells me that it's all about art depicting a journey, or the journey of making art.
-If you were to make a film about painting how would you go about it?
Focus on a particular painter of my interest and take a historical view on their lifetime and how particular events signalled developments in their artwork.
-If you were to make a film about a particular painter who would you choose and why?
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, because he seems to have had one heck of an interesting life, and I'd want to explore how this was reflected in his art work.
Saturday 21 April 2007
Monday 16 April 2007
Painting and Sculpture research
'Orange Ocean' by David Ladds.
'Sunset' by David Ladds.
'Wheat Field' by David Ladds.
'Orcombe Beach' by Peter Vaillant.
'Last Light' by Peter Vaillant.
'Exmouth Beach' by Peter Vaillant.
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