Developing and continuing my found technique

---Materials: a crafting knife, Pages from sketchbook, a sponge, a cutting mat, a paint brush, blue and white acrylic and blue charcoal.

 

 

3 pages. 2 buildings cut on each page.

>My aim today, is to develop and continue to practise my technique and see what I think of my experiments and how they turn out. I am going to use a crafting knife, to create the buildings that I have already drawn out to be prominent- this was inspired by Alexander Korzer-Robinson. After this, I will try painting an abstract piece over the cut-out buildings. Again, this makes the buildings look camouflage relating to my “mental imagery,” when trying to remember a place you have been to or have encountered somehow the image in your mind is not as clear and we tend to remember only part of an image.

Firstly, I began to draw some buildings, I made sure I drew half of the building unto the page since I did not want the building to come out of the page completely but still be a part of the page; I drew the other half of the buildings on the paper that popped out of my sketchbook. When cutting out buildings, I made sure I cut out two buildings on every single page out of three pages because I endeavored for this piece to look busy and lively, whilst the fourth page was the background. After cutting out the buildings, I decided to use the sponge technique. This involved me using the hard part of the sponge to dip wet paint unto the paper creating a little rough cloudy texture as a background. I then used the soft part of the sponge to add more wet acrylic paint over the original background. I smudged some of the paint around the corners of the cut-out buildings. After creating this abstract background, I started adding the technique I had previously found unto the background. Like I said on my past blog post, I use the paintbrush to push the paint upwards on the paper which makes a little circle effect like a finger print. I then decided to use blue charcoal to properly blend the abstract in with the blank pages.

In my opinion, the end result of this abstract piece was quite successful because the buildings that were cut out were almost totally camouflaged with the abstract I had created. When I finished this, I realized that the paint did not go unto all of the back of the pieces of paper as I only focused on the outside shape or outline of the buildings but I forgot to paint behind the page. However, this surprisingly worked well since the unbalanced colour in this piece made the buildings stand out against the abstract, there is also clear white colour arround the buildings creating the skyline. I really love the colours I used and how my technique made the abstract look cloudy and like realistic clouds I painted from a picture of clouds I took on the way to New York. When adding my technique unto the abstract, I found it quiet challenging as I had to think carefully about where I would want my technique to be so that the abstract does not look too busy. I also found a way to fade the painting a little in order for it to blend in with the blank white page and have a smooth texture. To improve my work, what I would do differently is add the abstract unto the background before adding the cut-out buildings over the background. This makes them even more camouflage as you see less of the skyline. To make the abstract look even more interesting, I might use an ink pen to create random lines and use white charcoal dust to connote the mind (or dream, fantasy etcetera).



second page (cut buildings)

Background

 

DECIDED TO STAY WITH/ REFINE THIS ABSTRACT

After looking at all of my experiments, I have decided to stick with doing this abstract. This is because it strongly connects to me personally and relates to research I have already done. Looking through this piece reminds me and, or the viewer about “mental imagery” – as I have said already. I also would like to continue with this abstract as it strongly connects with my theme “skyline.” The reason for this is because even though this abstract relates to mental imagery, it also shows buildings that you can recognize. In addition to this, you can see the lines created by the building in this abstract- again relating to my theme “skyline.”