Continuous Line Drawing

Last year when I learned about continuous line drawing i found it dificult to keep my pencil/pen on the page, it didn't feel natural to me to keep my media on the page. But with practise I got used to it and I really came to like the technique. I love how messy the drawing looks but you can still tell what it is a drawing of. Here are a few examples of continuous line drawing I have found on the internet.



I plan on using this technique in my 'a tale of two prints' project, mainly because i havn't done it in a while and also because i just love to use this technique.

The Development of Printmaking

 

Definition - A machine that transfers lettering or images by contact with various forms of inked surface onto paper or similar material fed into it in various ways The device is used for printing many copies of a text on paperThis was invented by a german inventer called Johannes Gutenberg.

The printing press had dramatic effects on European civilization. Its immediate effect was that it spread information quickly and accurately. This helped create a wider literate reading public.

However, its importance lay not just in how it spread information and opinions, but also in what sorts of information and opinions it was spreading. There were two main directions printing took, both of which were probably totally unforeseen by its creators.

First of all, more and more books of a secular nature were printed.  Scientists working on the same problem in different parts of Europe especially benefited, since they could print the results of their work and share it accurately with a large number of other scientists. 

They in turn could take that accurate, not miscopied, information, work with it and advance knowledge and understanding further. Of course, they could accurately share their information with many others and the process would continue. 

The printing press also created its share of trouble as far as some people were concerned. It took book copying out of the hands of the Church and made it much harder for the Church to control or censor what was being written.

Foreshortening

I have been practising some foreshorting ready for when I do life drawing. Foreshorting is when the object you are drawing has a part that is close to you, when you are drawing someone lay down, they may not always going to be lay directly infront of you, they could be lay at an angle. This is where foreshortening comes in.

 

Here i have drawn somebody with their legs up to their chest. As you can see the legs look larger than they would if they were stood up, this is because the legs are closer to me. This is what foreshorteing is.

 

I found this task rather easy as when i was drawing, I just consentrated and drew what I saw and not what I couldn't see but knew was there.

Life Drawing

Today was the first session of life drawing I have done since last year. I don't feel like my drawings are as good as they can be as it has been a long time since i have done it so hopefully as i keep doing life drawing, they will improve and i will get my proportions right.

14.11.2012

A Tale Of Two Prints Project Ideas

For this Project I have to choose two different Themes and create a print of each theme. The themes are..

• Contrast
• Decay
• Time
• Architecture
• Pattern
• Poetry & Literature
• Colour
• House & Home
• Scale
• Current Affairs
• People
• Places

I really like the idea of 'Time'. When I saw this theme, a lot of ideas came to mind - Clocks (grandfather, watch), Numbers, Decade, Second, Minute, Hour, Time Travelling, era's (70s, 80s), The Rabbit in Alice In Wonderland, time bomb.

I also think that House and Home would be a good one to do. I could take this idea anywhere. Firstly i could start of by drawing primary sources from my home. I could also take House and Home to Family, Pets or just the materialistic things inside the house. I could also merge House and Home to Architecture and draw the foundations of the house.

Looking into more detail about house and home I have come up with a few ideas.
- take pictures of the house, (panoramic) also photography style ones (close ups etc.)
- collect things from house , draw on them, paint on them, use them in collage
-collect secondary and primary sources and draw from them
- find out the history of the house
- birds eye view
- continuous line drawing (pencil, sewing)
- family members
- pets

Historic Print

I have been researching for Historic Print makers. A printmaker I have come across is Albert Durer.

 

This print is called Glorification Of The Virgin (The Life Of The Virgin), c. 1502. This is a woodcut. I love the detail in the print, its hard to believe that its been made from carving into a piece of wood. This print is being sold online for £12,592,40.

 

Contemporary Print

For my new project ''A Tale Of Two Prints''. I have been doing some research on some contemporary printmaking artists. I have come across an artist called Tobias Till. He has done an A-Z print of London. A print for each letter in the alphabet. For example, A - Albert Memorial B - Borough Market C - Carnaby Street. I love this idea. Tobias does his prints using the lino print technique. These series of prints are on display at The London Transport Museum.

 

Christmas Card

In college we have been set a task to design a christmas card that will be sent to all of the companies that are in contact with the college. The winner will also receive a £50 book token. As this is a christmas card for the college, we have to meet some criteria's. The first one is that it has to represent warrington as a community. The second is that it has to show progress in students that are at the college.

For this task I decided from the start that I wanted to do a print, this will give me some practise for the project I am currently doing along side this task(''A Tale Of Two Prints'').

I have had the idea to use text in my card. I like the idea of large block writing to fill the whole card. The text on this lino is backwards because, if it was the correct way round... once the lino had been printed it would be the wrong way round. So when cutting out, it must be backwards text. Some of the words used are, family and friends. I feel like this is representing the college as a community. 

Here is the print developing. Now i just have to hope and prey that the letters are the right way round.

To start off the lino printing process you first must pick your colour and add it to your palet.

You must make sure that your ink is spreaded evenly across the palet so that when you use the roller, it will spead evenly over your lino.

Next you just have to roll your ink onto your lino.

Carefully place your lino onto your chosen surface and use a clean roller to make sure that all the ink has been transfered onto your paper.

This is what my finished lino print looked like but i wasn't completely happy. I didn't feel like it look christmassy enough So I decided to add a christmas tree.

David Hockney

I have tried to get some inspiration in this project by using google. i came across a david hockney piece of art...

 

I really liked the idea of using more that one picture to create one photograph. I also like the fact that you can still tell what the picture is. I have tried to recreate this in my own way...

 

I am pleased with the result but i dont feel like it is like a David Hockey piece. I have purposfully made the photograph look like one photograph by making the photos form one face. David Hockey doesnt do this. I have also made parts of the face larger, which is more humerous than hockneys work. 

Wire Drawing

I have attempted to do a self portrait wire drawing. I couldnt get the hang of it and found it difficult to shape the write without wrecking another part of the drawing. I don't think I will be using this technique again as i stabbed myself around 500 times.

Journey

We had homework to record a journey we had been on. I drew a few quick sketches and also done some rubbings of what i came across on my journey.

Casting

We had the chance to do some casting in one of our lessons. This is when you cast the outer part of something using strips of mod rock, and then once removed you fill the inside with plaster then you have a replica of the item you casted. We were casting our hands, but because I had already done this in the previous year, I casted my foot instead.
Here is instructions on how to use this technique... (assuming you are casting your hand) you will probably need somebody to help you to so this.

1. firstly you need to cut strips of mod rock that are the length and width of your hand.
2. then use a pen to split your hand into sections top named a palm named b. and draw a line around the circumference of your hand. You will also need to lubricate your hand with vaseline so that your hand will be able to freely escape from the cast.
3. you will need a bucket of luke warm water. dip the strips of mod rock in the water and squeeze off the excess.
4. apply to your hand pressing down so that all the detail in the hand is being picked up - 4 strips length ways and then 4 strips width ways making sure there are no air bubbles.
5. carry on with this sequance until you are happy enough has been added
6. flip your hand over and apply vaseline to the sides of the mod rock so that when you add the mod rock to the other side of your hand, the hand will be able to get out.
7. do the same to the palm
8. once done make sure it is fairly dry and then pull the mod rock and release your hand
9. add some more mod rock around the whole cast so that when the plaster is added, none will leak through.

The cast has now been made. Now you have to make the plaster for inside the cast. this has to be the consistency of cream, this is made my the ratio of water:plaster 2:1. (e.g. 2 cups of water 1 cup of plaster) once you have the correct consistency, add it to your cast. You firstly add a little plaster and move it around the cast so that all parts are covered. Then you must add the rest, move the cast in circluar motions so that no air bubbles are in.

University?

Im currently in the process of deciding what i'm doing after my Level 3 Art course. I am applying to univerisities just incase I decide to go this year. Although I have found interest in the Production arts Make-up course at the college I am at now. Techniques I will be using will incude special effects make-up - bruises, cuts, burns and blown off limbs. Theatrical make up, techniques learned include ageing, gender reversal, character looks,etc and this includes providing the make-up for the Performing Arts shows. Fashion/Editorial make up techniques are also covered where everything from a natural face make-up to the more Avant Garde contemporary Fashion looks are covered.